Autobayng News Team
Rekha Gupta“>
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday reduced her official convoy size by around 60 per cent, restricting it to four vehicles, including two electric vehicles (EVs), as part of a broader set of fuel-saving measures announced in response to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
According to PTI, officials said Gupta and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu used EVs on Thursday while operating with reduced security convoys.
The steps follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to citizens to conserve fuel and spend wisely in view of the international situation.
In a post on X, Sandhu said he had once again travelled by the Delhi Metro, describing it as an efficient and accessible mode of transport connecting millions every day.
“In my recent travels, I have found it to be the most efficient way to navigate our city while contributing to a sustainable environment,” Sandhu said.
The lieutenant governor urged residents to adopt public transport, carpooling and electric vehicles wherever possible, stating that collective efforts would strengthen energy security and help build a cleaner Delhi.
Earlier in the day, Gupta travelled to the 14th convocation ceremony of Dr B R Ambedkar University with minimal security arrangements and in an electric vehicle, according to an official statement.
Gupta said her convoy would now largely be restricted to four vehicles, including two EVs.
Responding to criticism from the Opposition over political convoys, she said opposition parties had earlier demanded that the government implement such measures first.
“We have done exactly that today. But will opposition leaders now have the courage to step out on the roads after giving up their attachment to luxury?” she said.
Other measures by Delhi government
The chief minister also announced a series of austerity measures, including work-from-home for Delhi government offices two days a week, while private establishments would also be requested to adopt the practice.
Gupta said all ministers, officers and she herself would commute by Metro every Monday. Citizens would be encouraged to observe a voluntary ‘no-vehicle day’ once every week.
She further announced that all official foreign visits by Delhi ministers would remain cancelled for one year and that the government would not organise any major events for the next three months.
In addition, Gupta said petrol and diesel quotas allotted to Delhi government officers had been reduced by 20 per cent.
Delhi cabinet ministers and BJP MLAs have also begun using the Metro, bus and e-rickshaw since Tuesday following the Prime Minister’s appeal, officials said.
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