#Odd-even unlikely to return before winter
NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday hinted that the next phase of odd-even would not be implemented before winter.
Addressing a thanksgiving function at Chhatrasal Stadium on the conclusion of oddeven II, Kejriwal said, “There is an urgent need to improve public transport. Within a year, we will strengthen public transport and when we have odd-even after that, it will be a much bigger success.”
Government sources said a big hurdle faced during oddeven II was the weather. Hence, the scheme wasn’t likely to return during the summer. “Air pollution, for which odd-even was started, is not a problem during the monsoon. So, one can expect the next phase only in the winter, when pollution reaches scary levels and public support for the scheme is high,” said an official. For odd-even II, the CM thanking the people of Delhi, who had “fol lowed rules better than the Americans”. He also thanked the DTC, auto and taxi drivers, civil defence volunteers, the transport department and traffic police for making the scheme a “success”.
Kejriwal said the biggest impact of odd-even was on congestion. He also accused the opposition and sections of the media of trying to sabotage the initiative.
“After the first phase of odd-even, Delhi government was praised across the world.The opposition thought `I (indirectly referring to the PM) have been travelling for the past two years and nobody is talking about me while AAP has travelled nowhere but everyone is talking about it’. It first tried to get auto drivers to go on strike but auto drivers are with the AAP government. One MP declared that he will launch a civil disobedience movement and violate odd-even but when the police stopped him, he was without a licence and insurance papers. They then set fire in the Bhalswa and Ghazipur land fills. However, all their attempts failed,” he said.
The thanksgiving ceremony was not without hiccups. Due to heightened security for the CM in light of recent attacks on him, people wearing black were not allowed inside the stadium.There was also a check on gel pens, stoles and bags.