Amid confusion if Rs2,000 challan will be imposed only once or on each and every violation throughout the day, Delhi Transport Minister and Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi clarified that the challan will be slapped only once on the violator in a single day.
There was speculation earlier that in a bid to ensure that odd-even rule is strictly followed on Delhi roads between January 1 and 15, the Delhi Government has decided that now a person cannot get a free pass to drive his or her vehicle throughout the day once he has been challaned for the offence but will have to pay a fine of Rs2,000 every time the rule is violated during the course of the day.
“We have taken the decision to slap a fine of Rs2,000 for each violation. If a driver is fined Rs2,000 at a certain point, he may face same penalty multiple times if he keeps flouting the rule during the day. This provision has been made to ensure that people strictly follow the norms,” Rai had earlier said.
But in such a scenario, even if a person decides to follow the rule and turn back to leave his vehicle at home after the first offence, he may still get caught and fined on his way. later in the evening on Tuesday, Rai and Bassi held a meeting in which it was decided that the Rs2,000 fine will be imposed only once in a day on a single violator.
The odd-even scheme will be rolled out on January 1 for a period of 15 days and the Delhi Government expects around 10 lakh vehicles to go off the city roads each day during the period.
Meanwhile, after a meeting with all concerned departments to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme, Rai also said that strict action will be taken against autorickshaw drivers refusing fare or fleecing commuters. “Sixty-six Enforcement teams of Transport department will be deployed at various places, including near Metro stations, railway stations and hospitals to ensure that auto-drivers do not fleece commuters,” said Rai.
He said that a centralised helpline number will be launched in a day or two which will provide all information pertaining to the road-rationing plan. Commuters will be able to get all information -- including those about traffic restrictions and services of various modes of public transport.
The Government also clarified that only civil Defence volunteers will be deployed along with NCC and NSS, who will work in close coordination with traffic police and revenue authorities.
“The checking teams will be deployed on wider roads and not in the vicinity of crossings so that there is no disruption in the traffic. The police should not stall any barricades in the traffic during the programme,” a statement issued by the Government said.
It added that all civil
volunteers will have to
attend a briefing session at Chhatrasal Stadium on Wednesday at 12 noon so as to be aware about their specific role in the programme.
“All civil volunteers may be asked to report on December 31 at 9 am at their designated location for coordination meeting with the traffic police staff and will stay there up to 11 am to decide about their individual and collective role,” the statement added.
The Minister said all sub-divisional magistrates will have the power to issue challans.
As many as 50 special buses for Noida and Gurgaon each will be pressed into service during implementation of the odd-even scheme.
The city Government has already tied up with Twitter to make available real-time information about available public transport for commuters.