Delhi Transport minister terms odd-even formula as successful on second day

New Delhi: Terming the second day of implementation of odd-even formula as successful, Delhi Transport minister Gopal Rai on Saturday said he noticed "a new, collective consciousness" among people to contribute towards efforts for lowering pollution. "Mere rules can not change anything, change of mindset is needed which we aimed at through implementation of odd-even formula. Two days trials show that people of Delhi are ready for it," Rai said.

The minister said that government had prepared for implementation of the scheme on day one and now its "responsibility" of the people to ensure that violations do not take place even on Monday. Regarding questions over Delhi government's preparations to ensure proper implementation of the formula on Monday when vehicular traffic and number of commuters is likely to significantly go up, he said that people of Delhi are ready to follow the rule.

Rebutting charges of Opposition BJP and Congress that the odd-even formula was launched without adequate preparations, Rai said they were opposing the scheme just for the "sake of opposition." "On Friday, while heading towards India gate I stopped in front of BJP office and found that there was only one vehicle that violated odd-even formula," he said. "There can not be any division over the need to fight pollution to clean the air we breath," he stated.

Rai who took a bus ride to take stock of the situation on the roads said "only odd-numbered cars were seen on the road on Friday while on Saturday only even numbered cars are visible." The minister's bus ride started from Delhi Secretariat passed through Indraprastha, Nizammudin, Saray Kale Khan, Ashram, Nehru Place, India Gate, finally concluding at the starting point.

The smooth ride, however, suffered a hiccup as the DTC bus carrying the minister along with officials of Transport department and mediapersons nearly missed an accident near the millennium depot. A cyclist accompanied by his son tried to cross the road even as the bus was moving. The cyclist claiming to be a government official confronted the bus driver and Traffic cops on duty but the matter was sorted with no action imitated against anyone.