Gangtok, May 18: The Sikkim government on Monday rolled out an odd-even vehicle restriction system across the state as part of efforts to reduce fuel consumption amid concerns over growing uncertainty in the global energy sector.
Officials said the move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal urging citizens to use fuel responsibly in view of the ongoing crisis in West Asia. A notification issued by the State Transport Department stated that the new traffic arrangement came into effect from May 18.
To ensure that commuters face minimal disruption, the government has expanded public transport services across the state. Under the revised arrangement, City Runner buses in Gangtok will now operate at 30-minute intervals between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the Ranipool–Secretariat–Ranipool route.
Authorities said public transport services would continue operating throughout the week, including weekends, to maintain smooth and uninterrupted movement of passengers.
The Sikkim Nationalised Transport network will also continue services across all six districts without any changes to existing routes. In addition, taxis will remain operational for both local and inter-district travel according to the routes permitted under their licences.
Official figures show that the state currently has 15,548 registered taxis and 6,474 maxi cabs.
Officials stated that the measures have been designed to lower fuel usage while ensuring that commuters continue to have access to reliable and efficient transportation during the implementation of the odd-even system.
