Kejriwal’s restriction on cars gets support of chief justice and judges carpool idea -Governance Now

Kejriwal’s restriction on cars gets support of chief justice and judges carpool idea

Transport minister gives rough plan and says review after 15 days from the implementation

GN Staff | December 7, 2015

#delhi #pollution #vehicle #odd number #even number #court #air quality #arvind kejriwal #chief justice ts thakur

The Kejriwal government's experiment to restrict the number of private cars on Delhi roads got a boost with supreme court's new chief justice TS Thakur, supporting the measures to improve air quality in one of the world's most polluted cities.

"We don't have any problem if it helps," chief justice Thakur said during an interaction with reporters on Sunday. But the move to allow cars with odd and even numbers to run on alternate days alone may not be enough to deal with the alarming level of pollution, he said.

The chief justice of India was of the opinion that "there has to be a multipronged approach."

Chief justice Thakur said judges of the top judiciary would embrace the policy wholeheartedly and explore ways to pool cars to go to their workplace. "We should send a message. If SC judges can, why not others," he said.

"There is no difficulty. It's not a sacrifice, it's symbolic." The CJI said he had noticed the smog caused by Punjab farmers burning paddy in their fields and brought it up with the prime minister. Narendra Modi told him that he had spoken about the issue in his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was quick to thank the chief justice for the support, calling it a "huge encouragement". Judges pooling cars would inspire millions to follow, Kejriwal tweeted.

Meanwhile, Delhi Public Works Department Minister Satyendar Jain said the AAP administration had almost finalised the days on which even and odd number cars would be permitted to run in the Capital beginning January 1.

Odd-numbered cars, in all probability, will be allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while even-numbered vehicles will be allowed to ply on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, said Jain. Sundays will be "free for all" which would allow people to "get their work done". All details will be finalised before January 1, he said.

Explaining Kejriwal's comments on a 15-day trial period, Jain said the CM had meant there would be a "review after 15 days". Other details could then be finetuned. When asked how the government planned to get the police on board especially since it has expressed scepticism about the idea, Jain said, "Police's work is to implement laws and government's job is to frame laws. They will implement it."

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