The odd-even scheme in Delhi will have a second phase where the focus will be on promoting the use of cycles, Delhi's Transport Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday. The dates for the second phase of the scheme have not been finalised yet.
The second phase of the odd-even rule will encourage the use of cycles, for which cycle stands near metro stations and bus stations will be built.
"We will work in phases... in the first phase, we will encourage local connectivity. When people step out to go to the market, to the barber or to visit a friend, they should not take their motorcycle or car. They should take a cycle instead. The money earned through challans will be given as subsidy to help people buy cycles. In the second phase, we will create cycle lanes so that people are able to cycle on main roads as well," he told The Indian Express.
"In the third phase, we will create cycle stands at Metro and bus stations so that people don't have to worry about parking their cycles. The committee will explore these possibilities," he added.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had launched the Public Bicycle Sharing scheme (PBS) in January 2015, which allowed people to hire bicycles near residential areas and travel to the nearest metro station and vice-versa. The PBS is available at limited number of metro stations. However, only 85 cycles are available at the moment, an RTI revealed, according to Metro Rail News.
The government is also going to analyse the data of the 15 days, during which the odd-even rule was implemented, in a review meeting on 18 January to figure out future measures that can be taken to lower air pollution in the world's most polluted city.
An event will be held on 17 January in Chhatrasal stadium to thank the citizens of Delhi for complying with the law.
The first phase of the odd-even scheme in Delhi was rolled out on 1 January and is set to end on 15 January. The innovative traffic rationing scheme by the Delhi government was meant to lower air pollution in the capital.
