Rekha Gupta Vows 14,000 Electric Buses by 2029 and Full Yamuna Cleanup Roadmap
The Delhi CM outlines a civic roadmap while countering the AAP's corruption and freebie allegations.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said her government is committed to delivering measurable yearly improvements in air quality, public transport and the Yamuna River, outlining an ambitious roadmap for the national capital. In an interview, Gupta reviewed her administration’s first-year performance and detailed upcoming initiatives across pollution control, electric mobility, women’s welfare and industrial growth. She also dismissed corruption allegations raised by the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leader Arvind Kejriwal, asserting that the public understands the government’s work.
Responding to Kejriwal’s political challenge seeking fresh Assembly elections, Gupta said such statements were meant to mislead the public and noted that electoral decisions rest with the Election Commission of India. She questioned the withdrawal of the previous excise policy and raised concerns about alleged irregularities, arguing that the earlier government avoided accountability. Gupta maintained that her administration is focused on governance rather than political confrontation while continuing to examine what she described as legacy issues in several departments.
Highlighting administrative challenges, the chief minister said her government inherited incomplete infrastructure projects and cost escalations in hospitals, schools and other public works. She cited cases of stalled construction, arbitration liabilities and missing records as examples of what the current administration is working to rectify. According to Gupta, addressing these gaps has required financial discipline and closer monitoring of public expenditure to prevent further losses to the exchequer.
On environmental priorities, Gupta said the government has adopted a scientific roadmap to clean the Yamuna, including drone mapping of drains, expansion and upgrading of sewage treatment plants and new decentralised facilities. She noted that treatment capacity has already been increased and will be expanded further. The government has also undertaken large-scale desilting of drains and coordinated with neighbouring NCR states to kerb untreated waste inflow into the river, alongside launching Delhi’s first biogas plant.
To tackle air pollution, Gupta outlined a multi-tier strategy combining dust mitigation, anti-smog deployment, road recarpeting and 100 per cent roadside greening. She said traffic congestion studies are underway and that the city added 4,000 buses in the past year, with a long-term plan to operate 14,000 buses by 2029, all electric. The upcoming EV Policy 2.0, expected in the budget session, will focus on charging infrastructure, battery management and stronger last-mile connectivity, she added.
The chief minister also announced welfare and economic initiatives, including free LPG cylinder support for eligible women, expansion of girl-child education incentives and progress towards the Mahila Samriddhi Scheme. She said the government is preparing collateral-free loans for MSMEs, a new startup policy and plans to develop Delhi as an events and film hub. Reflecting on her tenure, Gupta said her goal is to make the capital clean, green and economically vibrant, adding that programmes such as the Atal Canteen, which serves affordable meals to thousands daily, have been particularly satisfying milestones.
Also Read: Rekha Gupta Questions Kejriwal on Excise Policy, Bungalow Controversy
