Odd-Even: No takers for Delhi govt's 'Special DTC buses' for ferrying MPs to Parliament

New Delhi: Six air-conditioned special buses put in place by the Delhi government to ferry MPs to Parliament, which convenes for the remaining part of the Budget Session on Monday, has found no takers.

As per ANI, only two BJP MPs Ranjan Bhatt and Hari Om Singh Rathore availed the special DTC bus service launched for MPs to reach Parliament today.

The Delhi government had earlier announced that it will run special buses to ferry MPs to Parliament as odd-even car rationing scheme is in force in the national capital. The Arvind Kejriwal government had even appealed to lawmakers to follow the odd-even rule.

"We have decided to run six special buses to ferry MPs to Parliament as they are not exempted under the odd-even scheme," Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai had said on Sunday.

 

 

I appeal to all parliamentarians to follow the odd-even rule and also do car-pooling with other MPs," he had said.

'MP Special' buses will ply from 9 am to 11 am and 5.30 pm to 8 pm, and will be available after every 15 minutes, a senior DTC official said.

"If MPs do not prefer to travel by buses, they have the option to carpool. They should contribute to make Delhi a pollution-free city," he added.

MPs are not exempt from the odd-even scheme, the second phase of which started on April 15 and will end on April 30. The violation of the car-rationing scheme attracts a penalty of Rs 2,000. The President, PM, Vice-President, Union Ministers, Chief Justice of India, Judges of High Courts and women among others are exempted under it.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Saturday claimed that the rate of compliance in the second phase of car-rationing scheme was higher compared to its first round and 5,814 challans were issued in the first nine days alone. In the last edition of the scheme, 6,768 challans were issued in the corresponding period.