Delhi air quality has reached 'severe' levels
The Delhi government will allow free travel for commuters in all DTC and cluster buses during the odd-even plan to encourage the use of public transport, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said today.
The odd-even car rationing scheme will be rolled out in Delhi for five days from November 13 as part of a graded response plan to tackle the alarming level of pollution in the city.
"To encourage use of public transport during Odd-Even, Delhi govt to allow free travel for commuters in all DTC and Cluster buses from 13-17 November," Mr Gahlot tweeted.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the move will encourage people to switch to public transport.
The Delhi Transport Corporation has a bus fleet of around 4,000 buses while there are over 1,600 cluster buses that form the backbone of the public transport along with Metro.
With nearly 13 lakh private cars expected to keep off the road per day after the odd-even plan kicks in, the government is looking to hire 500 additional buses to ensure smooth commute for the public.
According to official data, DTC buses carry around 35 lakh passengers every day.
However, since the AAP came to power, the DTC has not been able to purchase any new bus.
The odd-even plan will be in place from 8 am to 8 pm and there will exemptions for women drivers and two-wheelers.