In response to a question on whether Delhi’s odd-even formula can be implemented in Mumbai as well, transport minister Diwakar Raote and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that unlike Delhites, 90 per cent of Mumbaikars still use public transport.
Speaking about the odd-even formula, the CM said citizens of Mumbai prefer cheap and fast modes of transport to that of the comfort of a car. “I think the common Mumbaikar does not travel by private cars. Till date we would prefer to catch a bus or a train instead. Mumbaikars do not care about their status in the society and there are very few here who belong to the elite class for whom traveling is a matter of prestige,” he said.
The CM also said that according to him, the right way to go for Mumbai’s development is to provide infrastructure for public transport to grow. “As almost 90 per cent of the city uses public transport, I think we should work on the city’s infrastructure and provide people who want to use road transport that option,” he added.
Adding to this, Mr Raote on Tuesday said he has been dogged with questions by the media about what is being done for Mumbai’s road congestion. “I am of the firm opinion that Mumbai does not need anything as drastic as the odd-even formula, since Mumbaikars still use public transport like BEST buses, trains and even auto and taxis are somehow a better option than a private car,” he said.
Mr Roate further added that the difference in contribution of vehicular emissions between Delhi and Mumbai’s pollution is also vast. “According to statistics, vehicular emissions cause 70 per cent of the pollution in the city’s air while in Delhi it amounts to 190 per cent of the pollution. This is despite Mumbai’s population being greater than Delhi,” added Mr Raote.
