Odd-even phase 2 to begin from April 15; women drivers, parents carrying school kids to be exempted

New Delhi: The second phase of Arvind Kejriwal government's highly successful odd-even vehicle rationing scheme to curb rising pollution is scheduled to come into effect from April 15 in the national capital.

This time, the women drivers and parents carrying kids to school will be exempted from this rule.

The AAP government has decided to exempt parents carrying kids in school uniform.

Announcing the modalities of the odd-even car rationing scheme, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said that his department is working to develop a mechanism to keep a check on such parents.

Similar to the first phase of the scheme, which ran from January 1 to 15, women drivers have been exempted from the plan this time too.

Referring to questions raised by some schools who use DTC buses to ferry children, Gopal Rai said the government buses will be available for the schools but they will have to ensure that the vehicles are back in service of general commuters by 8 am.

"DTC buses will be available for them as usual, but we have asked the school management to plan this service accordingly so that DTC buses come on the road by 8 am for general commuters," the minister said.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had on Tuesday hit out at the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, saying it had used the odd-even scheme to gain cheap publicity.

"I will not put out so many advertisements with my Prime Minister's photograph on it," Pradhan said when asked to comment on the anti-pollution step taken by the AAP government.

"If CM Arvind Kejriwal is so keen on reducing pollution, why doesn't he fully activate and functionalise the Bawana gas-based plant. It's a state-of-the-art plant and needs utilisation," Pradhan said while speaking at the 2nd Mail Today Energy Conclave.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had claimed that the first phase of the odd-even plan was a huge hit.

Kejriwal has then said that he will bring an improved version of the scheme soon.