Compliance rate higher in odd-even 2, says Delhi government

With the second phase of the odd-even car rationing scheme nearing its completion on April 30, the Delhi government on Sunday claimed that the rate of compliance in this phase had been “higher” compared to its first round. Some 5,814 challans were issued in the first nine days of the second phase. In the last edition of the scheme, 6,768 challans were issued in the corresponding period.

The Aam Aadmi Party government is facing criticism from the Opposition due to “increasing” volume of traffic on roads following which it recently asked the public works department, Delhi Metro and DJB to carry out their construction and repair work at night to avoid traffic jams. “If we compare the data, rate of compliance is higher in second phase of the odd-even scheme, with issuance of 5,814 challans while in first phase, 6,768 challans were issued by the concerned authorities,” a senior government official said.

Both the enforcement wing of the city’s transport department, assigned with prosecution work in the first phase, and the Delhi traffic police have been empowered to fine the errant drivers. Unlike the first phase, sub-divisional magistrates are not prosecuting motorists for violating odd-even rules during the fortnight-long scheme, which came into force on April 15, this time. As per data released by the government, the enforcement wing and the traffic police have issued 2,962 challans and 2,852 challans respectively to motorists so far, while traffic police, SDMs and enforcement wing had imposed fines on 6,768 violators in the January edition. The sources said that the number of challans may be less during the second phase of odd-even scheme as the SDMs are not prosecuting errant motorists this time for violating the rules. On the first day of second round of the road-rationing plan, transport department and Delhi traffic police had prosecuted 1,311 motorists while only 215 violators had been fined on first day of its first round on January 1-15.