The Delhi Government on Tuesday clarified that no Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists would assist the Delhi Traffic Police in enforcing the odd-even scheme in the national Capital from January 1.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Government said that only civil defence, National Service Scheme (NSS) and National Cadet Corps (NCC) volunteers would be deployed to aid the police during the 15-day-long experiment.
However, these volunteers won’t be authorised to stop vehicles violating the odd-even scheme or make them turn back. Instead, they will resort to “Gandhigiri” and politely urge people violating the odd-even rule to “think of the health and future of their children” and do their bit by cooperating with the Government’s efforts to curb pollution in the Capital.
Not just this, they will drive home the message by giving roses to offenders. Meanwhile, as the D-day draws near, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi urged the people of Delhi to be honest about following the odd-even rule and not start their New Year with a lie by misusing the exemption given for medical emergencies.
“I appeal to people in Delhi not to start their New Year by lying about medical emergencies to evade the scheme, which is largely based on common trust,” he said.
“Despite the restrictions of manpower, the department has taken several steps to improve road safety and ensure mobility with safety in Delhi. So this (the even-odd scheme) will be another task, in which we do not apprehend any serious problem, particularly because the number of exemptions make the job easier,” he said.
He further requested the people not to go for fake number plates in order to evade the scheme, as the offence does not only violate the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 but also attract provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
After a to and fro exchange between Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai and Police Commissioner BS Bass, Rai clarified that the Delhi Government will not deploy AAP volunteers but civil defence personnel during the implementation of the scheme who will work in close coordination with traffic police and revenue authorities.
Rai said: “They will stand on the traffic signals and will humbly request the drivers of erring vehicles that are violating the rule to think of the health of their children and follow the odd-even rule. They will also offer a rose to the driver as they do during car-free days,” Rai said, adding that their main role will be to create awareness on major crossings and they will carry placards.
The Police Commissioner had said on Monday that action will be taken against volunteers if they take the law into their hands and engage in “vigilantism”.
Bassi maintained that any act of stopping an individual from driving, committed by anyone other than a police official or member of an enforcement team of the transport department, will be treated as wrongful restraint, which is a cognisable offence under the Indian Penal Code and they are likely to face legal action.
When asked about the probability of people misusing the “trust based” exemption given to vehicles during medical emergency, Bassi said, “I appeal to people in Delhi not to start their new years by lying about medical emergencies to evade the scheme, which is largely based on common trust.”
It must be noted that while exempting vehicles used during medical emergencies, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that this exemption will be based purely on mutual trust. It means that anyone can claim this exemption and police will have no choice but to trust them.
Bassi also made an appeal to Delhiites not to go for fake number plates or other such unlawful ideas in order to evade the restrictions as the offence does not only violate the Motor Vehicles Act but also attract provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
The top cop, who had said on Monday that the policy is being rolled out in a hurry, added that they will implement the scheme and have sought some clarifications on the exemptions.
Apart from the exemption on medical emergencies, the traffic department has asked the Delhi Government about clarification on a number of exemptions, of which one happens to be related to women.
“What do we do if a woman, who doesn’t know how to drive, is travelling with a driverIJ Do we ask the driver to leave his seat, eventually leaving the woman strandedIJ This is one issue on which we would like to take up with the Government and ask if an amendment in the scheme is possible,” Bassi said.