On Thursday, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated that private vehicles carrying schoolchildren in uniform are going to be exempted from the odd-even road-rationing scheme that is going to be effective from November 4-15.
Delhi’s Odd-Even Scheme 2019
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, who sat beside Mr Kejriwal at the press briefing, also stated that the government is going to give additional information later on how exactly this aspect of the Odd-Even restrictions will be enforced.
“Any vehicle that carries schoolchildren would usually run between 7 am and 8 am. So the person must return home before 8 am (when Odd-Even becomes active),” Mr Gahlot said.
Mr Kejriwal, at the same time added, “If there is a kid in school uniform inside a vehicle, the vehicle will be exempt… I will clarify this soon. We have done this before also.” He also said that the violators of the scheme are also going to have to be pay Rs. 4,000 – a hike of Rs. 2,000 from the last one in the year 2016. Two-wheelers are also going to be exempted under the scheme.
The main reason behind implementing the scheme is due to considering the high air pollution in the national capital. “The private vehicles ferrying schoolchilldren in uniform will be exempted from the odd-even scheme,” Kejriwal told reporters. Such vehicles, on the other hand, will be allowed only during school timings.
Buses carrying school Children will be Exempted
The list of exempted people from the scheme comprises of the president, vice president, prime minister, Lok Sabha speaker, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, governors, chief justices as well as judges of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court. Other than that, the Emergency, enforcement, defence, paramilitary and embassy vehicles will also be exempted, the chief minister said.
Kejriwal further said that he himself along with his ministers and officers are not going to be exempted from the odd-even scheme. Already, the government has announced those vehicles driven or carrying women as well as those who carrying physically disabled persons will be exempted.
On the other hand, Private CNG vehicles are also going to be banned for the duration of the scheme which will also cover all non-goods vehicles that are entering Delhi from other states.
“Two-wheelers are exempt from Odd-Even, which will be enforced between 8 am and 8 pm. It will be eased on Sunday,” Mr Kejriwal said. He then also added that the pollution in Delhi is due to various reasons, which comprises of emissions from within the national capital and not just from outside factors like stubble-burning in neighbouring states.
