After a dramatic announcement declaring its resolve to observe its own version of a 'car-free day' on Dussehra earlier this week, the Delhi government, on Thursday, said it had decided to limit its observance at one of the Capital's busiest routes to just five hours.
Addressing the media, Transport Minister Gopal Rai said the decision to make the route between the Red Fort and Central Delhi's India Gate car-free between 7 a.m. and noon had been taken in consultation with several stakeholders which included the transport department, DTC, DIMTS, Delhi Traffic Police, Police (law & order) and DMRC among others.
“October 22 is a festive occasion and activities related to Dussehra celebrations had to be kept in mind. So, we have decided to make the stretch between Red Fort and India Gate car-free for lesser duration,” Mr. Rai said adding that a dedicated fleet of around 20 government-run buses, with a frequency of three to five minutes, would be deployed on the route. “The idea is to present public transport, though experience, as a viable alternative to private vehicles. We will add more stretches to the program gradually and plan to make the observance of a car-free day at least a monthly affair,” the Minister added.
On Monday, Mr. Rai had announced the 'Ab Bus karen Jan Parivahan – Swasthya Jeevan' initiative which, to begin with, would see the stretch from India Gate to Red Fort going car-free for an entire day on October 22.
In an interview to The Hindu in May this year, Mr. Rai had stated that he viewed 'affecting a systemic change in the way Delhi commutes' both as a challenge and as his final objective as Transport minister with the Aam Aadmi Party-led dispensation at the helm of the Delhi government hoping to popularise public transport to the extent that 'people decide to use it instead of personal vehicles.'
October 22 is a festive occasion... So, we have decided to make the stretch between Red Fort and India Gate car-free for lesser duration
