Two-Wheelers to be odd one out or to be exempted from the provision of odd-even vehicle rationing scheme is what Delhi Government Transport department is discussing these days. The vehicle rationing scheme is scheduled to be rolled out from 1st January 2016.
Mr. Gopal Rai, Transport Minister said the government will announce the enforcement of the scheme by 25th December 2015 and the matter is at the core of deliberation to finalize the point wise action plan related to the implementation.
Mr. Rai’s statement came in the wake of discussions related to the availability of public transport — specifically Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses — with his legislator colleagues a day earlier, where the Transport Minister also urged them to use cycles to commute in their respective Assembly constituencies.
While the matter was yet to be discussed formally between Mr. Rai and his Cabinet colleagues, a senior Delhi Government official said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation had, more or less, decided to exclude two-wheelers drivers from the list of exempted categories but a final view on the issue was yet to be taken.
As per a data released by Delhi government earlier this month, the total number of new vehicles registered in Capital 5.19 lakh in 2013-14 to 5.34 lakh in 2014-15 that brings total vehicular pollution to 88.27 lakh as on 31st March,2015 compared to 82.93 lakh of previous year and this comprised as many as 56.81 lakh scooters and motorcycles.
This issue was also discussed at a meeting between Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister and Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister on 9th December, where Mr. Singh advised Mr. Kejriwal to take into account the fact that two-wheelers belong to relatively less well off persons who may be living in areas which are not within easy access of effective public transportation. He also said that 57 lakh of the 88 lakh vehicles registered in Delhi are two-wheelers ie 65% delhi registered vehicles are two-wheelers.
