To boost odd-even effort, DU students cycle to North Campus

New Delhi: "Save Delhi, Save India" said a group of students from Delhi University who cycled to North Campus on Friday in support of the odd-even vehicle plying scheme which kicked off on Friday for a 15-day trial.

While the colleges are closed for a winter break till January 4, the students decided to make a beginning by cycling to the campus from their homes and vowed to continue doing so during the rest of the year.

"It is a wonderful start to the new year. My new year resolution is to restrict the use of my vehicle to Sundays.

Those of us who stay nearby will cycle to college and those who stay far can use the metro and then cycle from the station to college," said Kushan Mehta, an SRCC student.

Srija Gautam, a Hindu College student, said, "The formula might pose certain difficulties in the beginning as a majority of the people find travelling by cars comfortable. But we have to make a start somewhere, and now is the time. Save Delhi, Save India."

Cycling from Civil Lines to Arts Faculty, Pratiti Diddi said, "We wanted to cycle to college despite it being a holiday so that we can set an example for the other students.

We are young, we have to take the lead."

As the clock ticked eight, the odd-even vehicular restriction policy of the Delhi government came into effect today with thousands of volunteers taking to the streets to assist traffic police in enforcing the pilot plan that will stay in force in the national capital till January 15.

As per the scheme, cars bearing odd-numbered registration plates shall ply on city roads today while those with even number plates, if taken out, will attract a penalty of Rs 2,000 under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Thousands of civil defence volunteers, traffic police personnel, enforcement teams of Delhi government's transport department and authorised sub-divisional magistrates have been deployed to implement the scheme which kicked in at 8 am and will be in force till 8 pm.