Fathers dropping kids to school remain under odd-even purview
Fathers will be exempted only if a child in school uniform is accompanying them. But they will be penalised while coming back from school after dropping the kids or while going to pick them up during the restriction period.
The Delhi government has stuck to its stand on not relaxing the odd-even restriction for fathers.
Fathers will be exempted only if a child in school uniform is accompanying them. But they will be penalised while coming back from school after dropping the kids or while going to pick them up during the restriction period.
Women are exempted if they travel alone,with women or child a male companion below 12 years.
Various suggestions were made to the government over the past week, seeking exemption for parents taking their children to school. It was said schools could issue stickers to parents.
People violating the odd-even rule will be fined Rs 2,000.
Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said this relaxation could be misused, just like CNG stickers, so it could not be implemented, he said.
Some had suggested that the restriction be relaxed for an hour or two in the afternoon for parents, picking up their children from school. However, the government didn’t agree and asked fathers to carpool.
“According to our assessment, in the morning, it is mostly fathers who drop their children to school and then go to the office directly. We request them to carpool, take public transport and share rides. In the afternoon, 85% of the children, who don’t use school transport, are picked up by their mothers. I will request mothers to extend a helping hand and offer to pick up other children in their neighbourhood as well,” Rai said.
Parents have already started to make arrangements for the scheme. Sanhita Sensarma is a lawyer. She lives at CR Park. Her daughter studies at Mirambika School.
“The school does not provide transport. Generally, parents take their children to school and so do I. Earlier, just one more parent and I were carpooling. Now, we are trying to rope in more parents. So parents from CR Park, GK 2 and Kalkaji are working out a plan to take our children to school. If need be, we will also use public transport or pool cabs, which are affordable,” she said.