Rebuilding city infrastructure from ‘level zero’: Delhi CM

New Delhi

Marking her first month in office, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta strongly criticized the previous AAP government for neglecting the city’s infrastructure. She pledged to restore essential services despite having to rebuild Delhi from level zero under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office emphasized that due to past governance failures, Delhi continues to struggle with basic amenities. Gupta reaffirmed her commitment to revitalizing the city and making it a model of development.

Speaking at an event, she highlighted the severe challenges Delhi faces, including massive garbage accumulation and pollution. She noted that sanitation standards have deteriorated, making Delhi one of the most polluted cities globally. She stressed that the Yamuna remains heavily polluted, and waste management has been ignored for too long.

Gupta called for public participation in improving infrastructure, stating that only a collective effort could transform Delhi. She also recited a couplet, emphasizing swift decision-making and discouraging self-interest in governance.

Since taking office, the Chief Minister has taken proactive steps, including hospital visits to assess healthcare services, initiating a bamboo forest project at the reclaimed Bhalswa landfill, and overseeing the desilting of three major south Delhi drains to prevent waterlogging. She has also focused on improving facilities at Asha Kiran shelter home.

Chairing her first Cabinet meeting on February 20, she approved a 100-day action plan, prioritizing Yamuna cleanup, riverfront development, and the tabling of pending CAG reports in the Assembly. Additionally, she sanctioned the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to provide health coverage to families.

As the only female Chief Minister among 16 BJP-ruled states, Gupta asserted that former CM Arvind Kejriwal would be held accountable for financial irregularities. She assured that her government would expose corruption in the previous administration and ensure transparency in governance.