Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested the people of Delhi to follow the odd-even rule voluntarily even as the trial period comes to an end.
15 January was the last day of the 15-day trial period of vehicle rationing policy in the national capital, implemented in an effort to reduce the dangerous levels of pollution.’
The progress made through the 15 days trial will be assessed in a meeting on Monday, Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal also congratulated the Delhi police, which was at loggerheads with the government officials over the policy.
Also read: Delhi Police to ‘Enforce’ Odd-Even, AAP to ‘Assist’, Warns Bassi
Kejriwal also claimed that not only pollution, but also the congestion on the streets of Delhi was reduced.
Citing “satisfaction” over de-congestion of the streets, Kejriwal has sown the seed of bringing the odd-even rule back by popular demand.
Efficiency of the buses has also increased. Daily number of commuters increased from 47 lakh to 53 lakh people.
On Monday, at 3 pm, all the departments of the Delhi government will meet to assess the progress made in the past 15 days.
PM2.5 Level Have Come Down
Giving a report of the past 15 days, Transport Minister of Delhi, Gopal Rai, said that the pollution in the national capital came down during the past 15 days, as compared to the pollution levels in December 2015.
The PM 2.5 from vehicles was 600+ in December 2015. Rai has said that the PM2.5 levels came down to 400 in the past 15 days.
Also read: December 23 Broke Delhi’s Pollution Record of 2015
He claimed that the pollution levels would have been 600 and above had Odd-Even not been implemented.
The government has said to have surveyed samples of the air in various places, through the 15 days. The result of the sampling is not ready.
There have been 9,144 challans in all been issued for violating the Odd-Even rule.
Out of the 9,144, traffic police issued 2,889, whereas transport department issued 6,255 challans.
The help line number received as many as 19,614 phone calls within the past 15 days.
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