Delhi CM vows 2,000 new e-buses by 2026
Chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday that the government will introduce 2,000 more Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (Devi) buses in the Capital by the end of this year and will also provide subsidies on electric vehicles (EVs). The CM was addressing the public at the Aironomics 2025 summit, which was focused on scaling solutions to combat India's air pollution crisis.
'With regards to private transportation, an EV policy will be brought by the government so people who are driving scooters or cars are encouraged to buy EVs as the government will give subsidies on the same,' she added.
At the occasion organised under the Bharat Climate Forum, the CM said that the government will implement schemes to address scrapping of end-of-life vehicles, which are a major contributor to pollution.
Further, addressing concerns of pollution caused by construction activities, CM Gupta said all high-rise buildings have been asked to install water sprinklers so the city can fight dust pollution.
'Sweeping can lead to more problems than solutions. To tackle this, first, we must develop more green belts in the city. Moreover, in all the 70 assemblies of Delhi, highly upgraded machines are going to be used which will have integrated smog gun, water sprinkling system as well as sweeping mechanism. I believe as this has been processed and the government continues to work, Delhi will feel better during this year's peak pollution system,' CM Gupta said.
Later, the summit also hosted a panel discussion on reaffirming 'Delhi's political will to lead on clean air while acknowledging the governance complexity across multiple jurisdictions.'
Speaking on the topic, Bhupinder Bhalla, former secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), said, 'Having worked in Delhi government, one realises the problems that arise due to involvement of multiple agencies. The grey areas that arise out of this intersection have to be dealt with in order to overcome the governance challenges.'
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