The second phase of odd even scheme in Delhi began last Friday.
Highlights
- 60 of 74 places showed lower pollution, claims Delhi Transport Minister
- Reports on impact of odd-even scheme on pollution have been conflicting
- Phase 2 of odd-even scheme began on April 15
If Delhi had it tough on Monday, its government will have the city know that it did not have it easy either. But for all that trouble, transport minister Gopal Rai claimed today, pollution was down in many places.
"Yesterday was a challenging day for Odd-Even 2.0," said Mr Rai, congratulating the national capital for recording better compliance on Monday, the first full working day, than on other days since round 2 of Odd Even began.
Gopal Rai said detailed pollution data would be released later, but "out of 74 locations, about 60 have low Particulate Matter level." Pollution, he said, continues to be high at the borders of the city. There have been conflicting reports so far on the impact on Delhi's infamous pollution, of Odd Even, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's pet experiment aimed at reducing pollution and traffic congestion in the capital.
The second 15-day instalment of Odd Even, which allows odd and even-numbered private cares to run on alternate days, began last Friday, a holiday that extended into a long weekend.
On Monday, however, students and office-goers struggled to commute and citizens complained about the lack of adequate public transport, traffic snarls and taxi apps charging more than the regular fare.
Mr Rai said
18 cabs of taxi apps Ola and Uber were impounded after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned against surge-pricing.
The Aam Aadmi Party minister said the state government confronted "a lot of challenges" listing among them the fact that schools were open, Delhi's heat led to a breakdown of buses and autorickshaw drivers threatened to go on strike.
Gopal Rai offered a rose to BJP's Vijay Goel and requested him not to obstruct Odd-Even.
"Political parties tried to break our resolve," said Mr Rai, who visited
BJP leader Vijay Goel's home on Monday to offer him a rose and convince him not to drive out in a car with and odd registration number to break the Odd-Even rule.
Mr Goel was unmoved and drove out as promised and was promptly fined by the Delhi Police.
Mr Rai said traffic jams reported in the city were unrelated to Odd-Even.