Delhi ministers switch to virtual meets, metro, EVs, e-bicycles to save fuel

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday held a meeting of BJP legislators at the Delhi secretariat and urged them to take the government's decisions and initiatives to every household.

From travelling by metro and electric vehicles to shifting meetings online, Delhi ministers have begun adopting alternative transport and energy-saving measures following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to reduce fuel consumption and cut unnecessary expenditure.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday held a meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party legislators at the Delhi Secretariat and urged them to take the government's decisions and initiatives to every household.

Gupta also held a virtual meeting with district magistrates to encourage participation through the 'Mera Bharat, Mera Yogadan' initiative, according to a statement.

Lighting inside the Delhi Secretariat has also been reduced as per need to conserve electricity, an official said.

The Delhi government has launched a broader push under the initiative, encouraging ministers, officials and citizens to reduce fuel consumption, use public transport and adopt sustainable practices amid rising global crude oil prices and the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday travelled from his camp office to the Delhi Secretariat using the metro and an electric vehicle.

"We are encouraging the use of public transport, EVs and smaller official convoys as part of fuel-saving measures. Small individual efforts together create transformative national change," the minister said while urging citizens to contribute through sustainable lifestyle choices.

PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh also adopted an alternative mode of transport and arrived at an NDMC event on a battery-powered bicycle.

Calling fuel conservation a "shared responsibility", the minister said the government was encouraging work-from-home practices and greater use of public transport, including metro services, to reduce fuel consumption and traffic congestion.

Additionally, education minister Ashish Sood conducted a virtual meeting with principals and heads of schools of government institutions from several districts to promote virtual interactions and reduce unnecessary travel.

Tourism, art and culture minister Kapil Mishra travelled to the Delhi Secretariat in an electric vehicle and said initiatives such as "Metro Monday", work-from-home arrangements and reduced use of private vehicles were being promoted in the national capital.

Mishra said traders and industrialists in Delhi were also extending support to the campaign by implementing work-from-home policies and encouraging EV usage.

Mishra also held a virtual meeting with officials and said that the written format of the advisory has already been prepared, and special formats for inspection and progress review of establishments at the district level have also been finalised.

Officials were also instructed to regularly review the implementation of this campaign in their respective areas and ensure maximum work through online modes to save fuel, according to a statement.

According to the advisory, hospitals, healthcare services, fire services, prisons, public transport, electricity, water supply, sanitation, disaster management, and other essential services have been exempted from this arrangement.

The government has also reduced the chief minister's official convoy size by around 60 per cent. The convoy now comprises only four vehicles, including two electric vehicles.

According to the official, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and the chief minister are both using EVs while operating with reduced security convoys.

The government has also directed departments to review electricity usage in offices and ensure lights and air-conditioning are used only when necessary as part of the larger conservation drive.