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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Now on Delhi's roads, buses that will drop and pick you up right near your home
Aarti (18) has been taking the new green buses on the Anand Vihar ISBT to Mayur Vihar Phase 1 route to work every day since they started operations on May 2. At 10 am, she boards the bus from the street outside her house in East Delhi's Khichripur and rides it to Jai Laxmi Apartments in IP Estate, where she works as a domestic help. 'I work there for two hours and then come back home to have lunch and rest. Then I go back again for three hours and return on the bus at 6 pm,' she says. 'Pehle rickshaw mein upar neeche karne mein 40 rupay lag jaate the, isliye kabhi din mein ghar jaati bhi nahi thi (Earlier, I used to take an e-rickshaw which cost me Rs 40 if I took it four times. That's why, sometimes, I didn't come back home to rest). Now, it is convenient for me as I pay nothing — bus rides are free for women — and get to sit in the AC.' 'Now, I tell everyone I know about the new buses,' she adds. Aarti is excited about the newest solution to a problem that has long plagued the national capital: the lack of affordable and reliable first and last-mile connectivity options. The Delhi government's answer to it was the mohalla bus scheme, now rechristened as the DEVI (Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector) scheme by the new BJP government. Under this, 9-metre buses (as opposed to standard 12-metre buses) would ply on routes that can't be accessed by bigger buses at a high frequency. Two weeks after 400 DEVI buses hit Delhi's streets at an inauguration event attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, The Indian Express hitched a ride on these buses and spoke to passengers. Most were enthusiastic about the service; some voiced concerns, including a lack of awareness about such buses and uncertainty about timings, that hinder regular use. On the ground At 9 am on a Wednesday last month, on the Seelampur Metro station to Johri Enclave route (D-025), the bus driver is patient as the vehicle makes its way through narrow lanes and crowded streets, fighting its way at corners and intersections and honking at briskly moving e-rickshaws and wrongly parked cars. At Mustafabad Gali No. 8, Aadil Malik, 17, hops onto the bus along with his friend and colleague Rahul Rajput. 'We generally take an e-rickshaw to our warehouse in Brijpuri,' says Aadil. The fare is the same for both modes of transport. But we don't know when the bus will come… today, the bus came at the appropriate time for us, so we took it,' he adds. 'We will be happy to take it daily if it comes at the same time… why won't we, it is air conditioned,' says Rajput, who works with Malik at a steel repair company. These buses mostly ply on high-congestion roads, which leads to them frequently getting caught in traffic jams. 'We are not able to arrive at the same time every day at different stops because of traffic,' says bus conductor Sameer Khan. Asked about this, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh says, 'To serve Delhi's public, we have to ply the buses on these routes. We will think of rerouting, but when a significant number [of buses] are plying on Delhi's roads. Where there's less need, we will decrease the numbers, where there's a requirement for more, we will increase the buses.' It is 9.30 am, and the bus is mostly empty throughout the route, with only occasional passengers. At most stops, like Ghonda Chowk or Yamuna Vihar Depot, no one boarded the bus. 'When people head to work in the morning, buses from residential areas to metro stations and hubs like Seelampur are full. In the evening, when people are returning, it is the opposite,' says Khan. Right then, Afreen Ansari, 23, who is taking the bus from Seelampur Metro station to Karawal Nagar along with two kids and sister-in-law, asks: 'Why are you taking such a long route?' 'This is the route of the bus, that's why. This is not a rickshaw that can go in any lane!' answers Khan. Afreen and her family are heading home from their aunt's place. While taking a rickshaw would have cost them Rs 35, the bus ride is free for them. Many people are still unaware of the routes, and at several stops, buses are often flagged down by commuters asking about their destinations. But from conversations with commuters, it becomes clear that the DEVI buses are mainly competing with e-rickshaws, which are even quicker and more reliable, for passengers. 'Earlier, I used to take three buses and two e-rickshaws to reach Jal Vihar from Khadar. Now, with DEVI, I only need to change two buses and one e-rickshaw,' said Manju, 40, who is on the bus going from Nehru Place Terminal to Madanpur Khadar JJ Colony, which is chock-full at 7 pm on a Tuesday last week. Other passengers say drivers of Eeco cars, RTV buses, and e-rickshaws have changed after this bus was introduced. 'Gramin seva tempos have brought down their rates in some areas,' a passenger chimes in. Devansh Mittal is a trainee correspondent with The Indian Express. He studied political science at Ashoka University. He can be reached at ... Read More
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Capital aims for EV transition: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta
NEW DELHI: At the 'Aironomics 2025' summit held in the capital on Saturday, CM Rekha Gupta said her government was committed to tackling the city's air crisis through strong and clear measures — from scrapping old vehicles to shifting entirely to electric public transport by 2028. 'We have lost clean air, and we are all responsible for it,' Gupta said while addressing the summit on the theme 'A New Air Agenda: Pathways for Scale and Systematic Impact'. She noted that the Delhi government had drawn up a detailed action plan within its first 100 days, including a scrapping policy for end-of-life vehicles. 'Old cars will not be allowed to run. Petrol and diesel vehicles whose life has ended will be removed. We have made a scheme for this,' Gupta said. Gupta added that Delhi's public transport would transition completely to electric vehicles (EVs). 'In the first phase, we have brought in 400 electric buses, which we call DEVI. Another 200 will be added. By 2028, all buses will be EVs,' she said, highlighting that over 4,000 EV charging stations are being installed across the city. She also announced the introduction of strict rules for construction activities. 'SOPs will be issued. High-rise buildings must install water sprinklers. Smog guns, water pumps, and other machines will be deployed to keep the air clean,' she said.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Celebrating 100 days of her govt, Delhi CM pits ‘AAP's misgovernance' vs ‘BJP's public service'
An hour-long conversation between Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and actor Anupam Kher about the initiatives and decisions taken by the BJP government since it was elected in the Capital in February headlined the event held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday to mark 100 days of the party in power. Thousands of people, including senior party leaders, MLAs and ministers, were in attendance at the event where the CM unleashed an attack on the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for making 'false promises' to people and being 'unapproachable'. Good governance, public welfare, and structural reforms remained the talking points of the session as Gupta highlighted the Centre's support for her government and spoke about the political will to clean Yamuna and make the Capital more livable. Taking a jibe at former chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Gupta claimed her government bridged the gap with bureaucrats. 'Even the bureaucrats and officials were scared to enter the previous CM's office and give their suggestions… Now we are having meetings and discussions with officials daily and taking their opinions on policy making and implementation,' she said. She yet again targeted Kejriwal for living in a 'lavish bungalow with curtains and TVs worth crores', which was dubbed as 'Sheesh Mahal' or glass palace by PM Narendra Modi during the Delhi Assembly election campaign. 'They made only fake promises for 10-11 years…I am not saying that we have changed the entire city in 100 days…But we are spending time on the ground with people, including their suggestions and making policies and a roadmap for the betterment of Delhi… Till we don't go among them and understand their problems, we cannot change things,' Gupta said. She added, 'We can't make false promises like cleaning Yamuna and removing the garbage mountains in one year like the previous governments…We will not set a target but show the progress. People will slowly forget the previous government (AAP and Congress), which had made Delhi hell.' She said that her government has held eight Cabinet meetings since coming to power to discuss key policies and projects, and gave approval to big schemes like the Centre's flagship Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, and a comprehensive plan to clean Delhi and mitigate pollution. In a bid to address public grievances, the CM has been holding jan sunwai camps for public grievances. She also outlined the government's achievements and decisions taken in various sectors, including education, health, and transport, like the introduction of a Bill to regulate school fees, the inauguration of DEVI buses, and the Ayushman Bharat scheme. She also addressed the criticism from the Opposition that has come her way in the last few months. On the delay in delivering the Mahila Samriddhi scheme, which promises a monthly aid of Rs 2,500 to women from economically weaker sections, she said, 'For this, we have allocated a budget of ₹5,100 crore. To ensure proper implementation of this scheme, we have already held six meetings where we are discussing eligibility criteria because we do not want a situation like what happened in (Congress-ruled) Himachal Pradesh or (AAP-ruled) Punjab.' She also hit out at the AAP for 'breaking public trust' with corrupt practices while accusing the Opposition of spreading rumours about the demolition of slums. 'These rumours are baseless. No slum will be demolished. We have allocated Rs 700 crore to provide basic amenities to people living in slums, which the previous government never did… Every slum dweller will get a permanent house, and until then, they will continue to live in their current slums—but with much better facilities and a dignified standard of living.' Meanwhile, Anupam Kher, in a post on X, said he met Gupta for the first time at the event. 'It was my pleasure to ask questions to Rekha Gupta ji on behalf of the people of Delhi! In a one-hour session, she answered to the best of her knowledge and with zest. This was the first time I met her and she comes across as a lady who knows what she is talking about! There is a certain earnestness about her. And I hope she retains it,' he posted. Following a landslide victory in February, the BJP returned to power in the Capital after 27 years, and ended 10 years of AAP rule.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Holy dip in Ganga, visit to Kedarnath, Badrinath: Gupta's ‘act of thanksgiving' after completing 100 days as Delhi CM
The allocation of the highest-ever Budget of Rs 1 lakh crore for Delhi, the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Centre's flagship health insurance scheme, steps taken to clean Yamuna, and eradication of 4,000 dark spots — these were some of the key highlights in a 22-page workbook released by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday to mark 100 days of her government. 'I am calling this book a workbook instead of a report card because it is a document of Delhi's development, where the work done by the government will continue to get updated over time. We spent the last 100 days working on several important public welfare initiatives…,' Gupta asserted at an event with ministers Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood by her side. The Chief Minister is now ready to take a holy dip in the Ganga as she visits Haridwar with her family on June 1 and 2, 'as an act of thanksgiving'. 'The CM did not take leave in the last 100 days. Before that, she was busy with the election campaign. Now, as both the BJP and the CM have completed the hundred days in power, the CM has decided to go on a small trip with her husband and children,' said a senior official. Following the 'Ganga snan' in Haridwar, the Chief Minister will visit Kedarnath and Badrinath on June 2. 'In Haridwar, a new ashram is being inaugurated, the CM will be attending that event, and after that, she will take a holy dip in the Ganges…On the second day, she would be going to visit Kedarnath and Badrinath temple,' the official added. After taking charge as the Chief Minister of Delhi, officials said, Gupta has been starting her day at 6 am with field visits, followed by jan sunwai (public hearings) at her residence in Shalimar Bagh, road inspection, and meetings with officials. During her field visits, she visited the construction of major road repairing works, ongoing projects, inspected hospitals, and the Yamuna cleaning work in the past few weeks. In the workbook, the government has also highlighted drafting the Bill for regulations of school fees in private schools, enabling water tanks with GPS location, and procurement of e-buses under DEVI. The CM said that in the next 10 days, the BJP government will distribute the workbook to the residents of Delhi across all 70 Assembly constituencies, ward through public meetings, allowing people to directly learn about the government's work. She added that in these public meetings, the Delhi government ministers, MLAs, councillors, and MPs will not only share the achievements of the past 100 days but also gather suggestions from the public for the coming days and inform them about plans. The CM also announced that the government will hold a mega event on Saturday at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where they will release the workbook and a comprehensive presentation of their achievements in the last four months before the public. 'The Central and state governments are working together as a double-engine government to serve the people. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are continuously working towards the development of Delhi,' the CM asserted. Meanwhile, targeting the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, the CM said, 'We all know that the previous government indulged in corruption, sat in Sheesh Mahal (glass palace) worth crores, did nothing for the people except praise themselves using their corrupt money…Wo naam karne wali sarkar thi, ye kam karne wali sarkar hai. Wo 10 saal ki brashtachari ka meva khane wali sarkar thi, ye 100 din ki seva karne wali sarkar hai (That was a government only for the sake of it… This is the government that is functional… That government indulged in corruption… this government has served the people),' the CM said. The government, said officials, will also issue a pamphlet, which will have the projects and works done in the last 100 days. 'We will make sure it reaches every household in Delhi,' the CM said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP failed to deliver on its promises in 100 days: AAP
New Delhi: AAP on Thursday alleged that Delhi's "four-engine govt" had failed in the first 100 days to launch a single scheme or fulfil any electoral promise it had made but was "dismantling the ground-breaking public welfare schemes" of the previous administration. AAP, which governed Delhi for 10 years before losing to BJP in the assembly polls earlier this year, released its own 15-point report card of the current BJP dispensation in a press conference. It was addressed by former Delhi chief minister and now leader of opposition Atishi , AAP's Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj, and two other MLAs. "BJP govt will complete 100 days on May 30. People trusted them and voted for change, but instead of development, the three months have brought chaos," Atishi said. She accused govt of stalling the "good work that was already happening", adding that launching new schemes was out of the question. The party claimed there were frequent and prolonged power cuts across the city now. While the electricity tariff increased from 7-15%, there was a rise in private school fees, and Delhi was facing a severe water crisis, with claims of sewer water flowing from taps in several areas, AAP said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Atishi also alleged that the city recorded its worst pollution levels this summer, with the Air Quality Index crossing 500. AAP functionaries also claimed that BJP had halted critical welfare schemes such as the mohalla clinics and the Farishtey scheme and alleged that govt failed to provide permanent jobs to bus marshals. AAP also accused BJP of not delivering on major pre-poll promises, including the Rs 2,500 monthly honorarium to poor women and the subsidised LPG cylinders at Rs 500, with free distribution on Holi. "This was a major political comeback for the BJP after 27 years in Delhi. They have a four-engine govt — at the Centre, MCD, LG, and now the state — but in their first 100 days, they've only delivered 100 lies," Bharadwaj said. He added that despite their promise to not disrupt ongoing welfare programmes, BJP has been quietly removing doctors from mohalla clinics and rebranding AAP initiatives, such as renaming mohalla buses as 'DEVI' buses.
