Second phase of odd-even scheme in Delhi from April 15: Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Commuters across the city are willing to leave their vehicles at home and use public transport or carpooling to reach their destinations during the second phase of theodd-even scheme.However, residents are not still sure whether Delhi is ready to adopt the scheme on a permanent basis.Several commuters claimed they may end up buying a new car if the scheme is implemented on a long-term basis.Researchers from School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) documented traffic flow at nine spots across the capital on Tuesday morning and conducted a survey asking commuters about their preferred mode of travel during the second phase of odd-even.The survey was conducted at nine points across the city and 250 people were surveyed in one hour. Cameras were placed at highrises to document the flow of traffic and congestion during peak office hours.The points that were selected for the survey included Punjabi Bagh, Anand Vihar, ITO, Ring Road, Mandir Marg, Maharani Bagh, Gurgaon Expressway and Lodhi Road.Majority of the commuters said they were willing to travel by public transport on the days they cannot take their car."I have an odd number car and from April 15 I will take the Metro on even days. It's a great initiative and we should support the government," said Deepak Sharma, a resident of Lajpat Nagar.However, commuters also said that the city is not yet ready to adopt the odd-even formula on a permanent basis."Public transport needs to be improved. I think the Delhi government should rather focus on that," said Raunak Singh, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase-I.Singh also said, "If the government implements this scheme on a long-term basis, then people who can afford will eventually buy another vehicle. I cannot commute in Metro every alternate day for the entire year. So, if the mode of transport is not improved, I would consider buying a new car."Carpooling had emerged as a viable way of travelling during the first phase of odd-even scheme and a lot of people are planning to stick to this during the second phase also.A number of carpooling sites have also sprung up over the last couple of months after the second phase was announced. Cab aggregators like Ola and Uber have also started sharing system.