Women, two-wheelers may be exempt from odd-even scheme

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the government would look into whether two-wheelers and vehicles driven by women should be exempted from the odd-even scheme, which will be implemented in November.

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday called a meeting of concerned departments and stakeholders to plan the Odd-Even traffic scheme to be implemented between November 4 and 15 in the national Capital. "Have called for a meeting today on Odd-Even with all the concerned Departments and Stakeholders. All issues pertaining to the implementation of Odd-Even including whether women should be exempted or not will be discussed," Gahlot tweeted.

"We are examining whether CNG vehicles, women and two-wheelers may be exempted from the scheme," Kejriwal told reporters.

Violation of the odd-even road rationing rule, scheduled to kick in from November 4 in the city, will invite a fine of Rs 20,000 as per the amended Motor Vehicles Act, officials said.

The odd-even scheme involves plying of vehicles on alternate days as per the last odd or even digit of their registration numbers. Earlier, when the odd-even scheme was imposed by the Delhi government in January and April 2016, the violation was punishable with a fine of Rs 2,000. However, a final decision on the size of penalty has not been made since the notification of compoundable offences under the amended MV Act is yet to be notified by the Delhi government, an official said.

On September 13, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that the third edition of the road rationing scheme would be implemented from November 4 to November 15 as part of measures to combat high-level air pollution caused due to stubble burning in neighbouring states during winters.