Not possible to implement odd-even scheme in Delhi permanently: Arvind Kejriwal

Pic Courtesy: @AamAadmiParty

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said he was “overwhelmed" by the response of people towards the odd-even scheme in the national capital.

The CM further said that the pilot initiative of the AAP government has turned "into a movement", two hours after the commencement of the radical scheme.

The odd-even formula is aimed at mitigating spiralling air pollution levels with the stipulation today that private cars bearing odd-registration plates will ply on city roads.

As per the reports the party has got till now, the plan has been "quite successful" and people in the national capital have largely accepted the restrictions with an "open mind", said the Chief Minister.

"I repeatedly said that the scheme will meet with success only when people embrace it and not though force. It has become a movement and we are truly overwhelmed by the response we have received so far.”

"Delhi will show way to the rest of the country," Kejriwal told reporters outside his residence.

"Delhi has done it! Reports so far very encouraging. Delhiites! You give me hope that you are capable of achieving big challenges," Kejriwal later said in a tweet.

"I am pooling my car and going to office with two ministers, my personal secretary and my joint secretary," he said.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal told a news channel that it was not possible to implement the odd-even traffic rationing scheme on a permanent basis. 

"These weapons are used on temporary basis to curb dangerous levels of pollution."

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who reached the Secretariat on his official car bearing odd-number registration plate, echoed the Chief Minister's observation, saying that people have adopted the initiative as their "own mission".

"And government is merely assisting them. So this is the ideal situation," Sisodia said.

Kejriwal shared his car to the Secretariat with transport Minister Gopal Rai and Health Minister Satyender Jain. They live in North Delhi's Civil Lines area.

Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra reached the Secretariat on his two-wheeler at around 9 am and tweeted, "Wow Delhi Thank you for making #OddEvenFormula a success...just reached office on bike.. no traffic.. Delhi is following it voluntarily."

Two-wheelers are included in the list of 25 categories that have been kept out of the ambit of the scheme.

(With Agency inputs)