Over 1,002 people were challaned by the Delhi Traffic Police for violating the odd-even norms on Saturday.
The number of violators of odd-even car rationing scheme was much lower that of day one when 1,311 challans were issued on Friday. To ensure strict compliance with the scheme on Monday, the first full working day of the plan, the Delhi Government will field all district magistrates, SDMs, ADMs and tehsildars on roads. The Government has also directed metro to cancel leave of its employees to better deal with commuters for the next 15 days.
The Government has currently deployed 210 teams of enforcement wing of Transport Department to prosecute the violators. Besides, 2,000 traffic police personnel have also been deployed on roads to tackle the offenders. The actual impact of the scheme will be known on Monday when schools and offices will re-open after an extended weekend. A one-day strike called by a section of taxi and auto unions might compound the hardship of commuters.
“As Monday will be the first working day after odd-even scheme was implemented, the Government will deploy DM, SDMs, ADMs and tehsildars to ensure implementation of the odd-even scheme on April 18,” Transport Minister Gopal Rai told reporters. DM and SDMs will be given powers by the Divisional Commissioner to ensure strict compliance of the odd-even scheme.
Officials said even when Friday witnessed 300 per cent increase in prosecution figures as compared to that on January 1 (the first-phase of the scheme); Saturday witnessed 66 more challans, increasing the numbers of the violators.
While the day collected more number of challans, southern range of Delhi again topped the list of violators with around 136 challans, including 129 cash challan and seven court challans. On Friday, the figure stood out at 129 for southern range. Meanwhile the second highest challans were issued in western range where total of 89 challans, including 77 cash challans and 12 court challans were issued. Similarly, 64, 59, 54, and 35 challans were issued in the first half that is till 1 pm of the day in central range, eastern range, southeastern range and northern range respectively. On Friday, the figures were less in comparison. Number of challans issued in central range on Friday was 97, 57 in eastern range, and 42 in northern range, 78 in outer range and 108 in western range.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee released data informing about the ambient air quality during Odd Even part-II. In various places, the PM 2.5 (microgram per cubic meter) exceeded the 60 Mg per m3 level prescribed by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Noida border inside and outside Delhi held the exceeding level of PM 2.5 where Noida border inside Delhi recorded 425 Mg per m3 and outside Delhi recorded 247. Gokulpur and Bhajanpura also remained deeply affected as level of PM 2.5 in these areas was 467 and 317 (Mg per cubic meter.) Waziarabad, Nand Nagri, Gazipur border and Badarpur border also remained in the list of affected areas.