Odd-even smooth sailing but Noida chokes on Metro

NOIDA: On the first Monday of the second phase of Delhi's odd-even drive, traffic movement at the Delhi-Noida border was smooth. The sole bottleneck, at the Sector 37 crossing, was due to ongoing Metro work.
On Monday, Noida police, which checks vehicles daily outside Sector 14A, adjacent to the Noida-Delhi border, appeared unusually reticent. Till evening, only three violators were challaned at the border for violating odd-even rules, one at the DND exit towards Mayur Vihar, two at the Kalindi Kunj border.Several commuters with odd-numbered vehicles turned back to evade challan, after being informed by civil defence volunteers stationed at the border.
A traffic cop at Noida Gate, on condition of anonymity, said the force had been asked to go easy on tickets, and had instead been asked to ensure smooth traffic flow at the borders. Traffic cops at Kalindi Kunj said compliance was high as awareness appeared to have risen. "Officials at the border challaned three people for Rs 2,000 each," said a cop. "I had an important meeting in Delhi. I took out my car in a hurry, having forgotten the odd-even rule was in effect," said a violator who didn't want to be identified.
SP (traffic) Sanjay Singh said they had kept checking down to a minimum to prevent possible snarls, but traffic on one side was blocked for six hours by ongoing Metro work. "Traffic was by and large smooth. The only bottleneck, in Sector 37, saw one lane blocked between 8 am and 2 pm due to Metro work, but cops deployed there eventually streamlined flow," he said.
Commuters appeared unconvinced about the effectiveness of the odd-even rule. Some said it should not be enforced permanently. Others, like MNC employee Shubham Vatsa, felt the step was in the right direction. "Delhi government has exempted women for safety. Families with one car may feel inconvenienced. It's a good initiative, nevertheless," he said. Shaurya Sharma, an IT professional, said, "The first round of odd-even in January reduced traffic but not pollution. Not a good idea." He said the government should strengthen public transport to solve traffic problems.
However, commuters complained of overcharging by autorickshaws. Shikha Sharma, who works in a company in Sector 63, said, "All four autos I hauled up to go from Vasundhara to Sector 63 refused to run on meter and asked for Rs 400 as fare. Eventually, I took a cab."
Over at Ghaziabad, traffic snarls greeted commuters at Kaushambi and UP border. Many commuters with odd numbered cars could be seen leaving their cars at Metro car parks on their way to Delhi. Those who drove their odd-numbered cars to Delhi, were challaned, leading to serpentine queues at the border. By 11am, cops gave up and moved away from the borders.
Govindpuram resident Someshwar Singhal, an agent at an insurance company, said, "My car is even numbered, yet it will take me over half-an-hour to enter Delhi."
Lawyer Rajiv Ranjan Raj had driven from Seemant Vihar in his odd-numbered car, in the hope of parking it at the Kaushambi Metro station. "The parking lot is full and I'll be late to court," he lamented.
The scramble continued throughout rush hour, but improved by afternoon.