New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta set out a sweeping vision on Wednesday for the capital city, pledging to tackle what she calls “legacy problems” and build a “Viksit Delhi” (developed Delhi) that would contribute to a “developed India.” Gupta emphasized infrastructure and education reforms, public health measures, and environmental action as the core pillars of her administration, and over which the government will work on.
Addressing Delhi’s chronic air quality crisis, Gupta outlined a multi-pronged strategy. The government, she said, would deploy 1,000 water sprinklers across the city for dust mitigation, introduce 70 mechanical road-cleaning vehicles, and install smoke towers on major buildings to reduce particulate matter. “This time, Delhi will get good air,” she assured.
Gupta’s remarks combined both urgency and optimism, underlining that Delhi’s transformation was tied directly to the nation’s growth story. “Viksit Bharat cannot happen without a Viksit Delhi,” she reiterated, framing the capital as both a challenge and an opportunity.
Gupta also reflected on the personal demands of leadership. “When you work hard for people, even if it is 18 hours a day, the next six hours of sleep feels like real rest,” she said, drawing applause. She added that Delhi was like a “young man” that had not been taken care of properly. “Basic resolve couldn’t be given. Legacy problems, especially in infrastructure, have kept Delhi behind its true potential,” she remarked.
The chief minister insisted that goodwill and consistent effort would change this trajectory. “If you work with goodwill, you will reach it. Viksit Bharat will go through Viksit Delhi. Our job is to ensure people’s basic needs are secured. Today, people hustle the moment they step out of their homes—that has to change,” she said.
Among her government’s immediate interventions, Gupta highlighted making the appointment of nurses permanent, a move she said came “for the first time in years.” Moreover, strengthening the city’s public health system was a key element of her roadmap, she explained, stressing the need for stability in critical services.
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Transport and environment formed the heart of her long-term strategy. Gupta announced that by 2026, her government plans to convert the entire public transport fleet into electric vehicles, positioning Delhi as a leader in sustainable mobility. “Clean, efficient public transport and reliable buses will not only reduce pollution but also ease the daily struggle of our commuters,” she said.
Moreover, the Delhi chief minister also criticized the expenditure done on 'Sheesh Mahal' by Arvind Kejriwal government, calling it a white elephant. Gupta said it is difficult to maintain the property, so a decision will be taken by her government regarding its utilisation. "It may be sold off or used for other purposes, whichever way it gives revenue to the government, we will use it like that," she said.
As the event hosted on the Live Times channel’s platform, at the Xchange event at the Taj Palace, Delhi, concluded, Gupta reminded the populace of Delhi that “People’s hustle begins the moment they step out of their house. Our work is to give them ease in daily life, by working in good faith.”
