Asking the volunteers to be deployed by the Delhi Government to assist the force as briefed by them, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi on Sunday cautioned against any form of vigilantism during the odd-even vehicle movement restriction plan. “The Delhi Police to enforce odd-even scheme. Requesting Government: volunteers to assist Delhi Police and to act as told. All note: rule of law and vigilantism are incompatible,” Bassi said in a tweet.
Elaborating on how volunteers would work, Bassi added, “Once volunteers report to police, they shall be briefed and deployed as per an action plan. No undue harassment of road users is the objective.”
Meanwhile, in order to implement the ambitious odd-even scheme, Delhi’s traffic police have decided to set up barriers and conduct random checks at all important intersections. Around 200 such barriers are proposed to be set up across the city.
The Pioneer had earlier reported that with 25 categories of exempted vehicles and Delhi residents already looking for jugaads to get around the even-odd restrictions, Delhi Traffic Police is expected to face a tough time identifying the violating vehicles from the exempted ones.
The traffic police will not only have to regulate traffic and enforce traffic rules, but will also have to constantly read the number plates of the passing vehicles, identify if they are odd numbered or even, screen them to rule out if the vehicle belongs to a VVIP, is being driven by a woman, runs on clean fuel etc and then finally stop it for prosecution if it’s violating the even-odd rule.
The odd-even plan for four-wheeler vehicles, unveiled by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is aimed at reducing pollution in Delhi. The scheme will be implemented on a trial basis between January 1 and 15.
Under the plan, four-wheelers with odd registration numbers would be allowed to ply on odd dates and those with even numbers would run on even dates. The violation of the scheme will attract a fine of Rs 2,000 which can be imposed by officers of the rank of head constable and above of Delhi Police and Transport Department as well as officers authorised by Divisional Commissioner of Revenue Department.
There will be no curbs on Sundays. The scheme will be effective from 8 am to 8 pm.