Parents complain of severe inconvenience

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal carpooled with fellow ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai to reach his office as the second phase of the odd-even car rationing scheme faced its first real test on Monday with the reopening of offices, schools and other institutions after an extended weekend.

Despite the car rationing, there was heavy traffic at ITO and near Akshardham and many parents complained of severe inconvenience while dropping their children to school. DTC and cluster buses were packed with passengers on some routes in Burari, Uttam Nagar and other areas in West Delhi.

“Today is the real test of odd-even. Like the first phase of the scheme, we all will have to make its second phase a success,” transport minister Gopal Rai said.

As Monday was the first full working day since the scheme was implemented, the Delhi government had also deployed district magistrates, SDMs, ADMs and tehsildars to prosecute violators. Besides, 210 teams of enforcement wing of the transport department and 2,000 traffic police were also on duty on the capital’s roads.

Over 2,300 challans issued in the first two days as against 479 during the same period in the first phase from January 1 to 15. On Monday, 710 motorists were fined for odd-even rule violations.

The rules, whose violation attracts a penalty of Rs 2,000 under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, are applicable between 8 am and 8 pm, except Sundays.

The AAP government had this time added to its exemption list people driving with schoolchildren in uniform. However, the government has not been able to arrive at a solution to the problem of cars returning after dropping schoolchildren or heading towards schools in the afternoon hours to pick them up, and suggested car-pooling.

“I drop my son to school every morning. How weird it is that I am allowed to drop him, but I am supposed to pay fine when I am returning Insane it is. Now, every day, either I will take a bus which of course more time consuming or I will shell out more money in hiring a cab daily, twice a day,” said Rishikesh Goyal, a software engineer.

Hritika Bhalla, who came to drop her daughter at Presidium School in Ashok Vihar, said: “Usually my husband drops our daughter to school as I am occupied with household chores before both of us head to our respective offices. But, now I am forced to drop her as her father will be considered a violator while returning. It’s a nuisance.”

Another parent, who had to face trouble while dropping his daughter at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, took to Twitter saying, “Success of #OddEvenBegins. 2 Uber didn’t reach. 3 autos refused. 20 minutes now on way to school, daughter with 104 fever. Tks #OddEven,”

While a few parents took to two-wheelers for dropping their children to school, some decided to go early so they could return before the 8 am deadline. “The government’s intentions about reducing traffic and pollution are fine, but there has to be a concrete plan. It is so unsafe to drop three children on a motorbike and how long can the parents go to school over 45 minutes early to make it back by 8 am,” said Savita Krishnamoorthy, who had come to drop her grandson to the bus-stop using an auto-rickshaw.