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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said pollution control requires sustained, year-round action, inaugurating six new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) stations to expand real-time tracking of air quality across the capital. She also flagged off 100 'Vayu Rakshak' vehicles for stricter monitoring, and enforcement of pollution control norms. Addressing an event at the Delhi Secretariat, Gupta said the government is working towards comprehensive citywide monitoring and long-term policy action to address pollution at its source. "Our aim is to ensure that for every 25 sq km area in Delhi, there is at least one air quality monitoring station so that we get complete and accurate data on pollution levels and their sources," she said. The six new monitoring stations set up by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) are located at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Netaji Subhas University of Technology West Campus
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said the Centre will consider a suggestion to set up an inquiry for non-allotment of around 48,000 flats constructed in the national capital for the poor under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Replying to a supplementary during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said flats in Delhi were constructed in 2012 under the JNNURM scheme, with the support of both the central and state government. Lal said he was "astonished" that these homes were not allotted to the poor by the then Delhi government under Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He said the conditions of the remaining flats, nearly 48,000 units, have become worse and some are not even livable. The minister was replying to a question by Rajya Sabha Member Swati Maliwal, who said that only 4,871 flats were allotted to the poor out of the total 52,344 flats constructed. Maliwal accused the then AAP government in Delhi for not allotting these fl
At least 10 schools in the national capital received bomb threat emails on Monday, triggering massive security movement, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said. According to the DFS, emergency calls were received from multiple educational institutions across different parts of the city in the morning hours, following which fire tenders and bomb disposal teams were rushed to the locations. "A total of 10 schools received bomb threats today. Fire service teams immediately reached the premises. Checking is underway," a DFS official said. The schools were evacuated as a precautionary measure. Bomb detection and disposal squads, along with dog squads, are carrying out extensive searches.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has issued an eight-point safety framework to prevent Janakpuri-like accidents where a biker died after falling into a DJB dug pit, and sought a list of excavation sites in the city within three days. Taking a "very strong" view of the tragic accident reported in the Janakpuri area of west Delhi on Friday, the chief minister has ordered immediate, time-bound action across all departments and executing agencies to prevent any recurrence of such an incident, a Delhi CMO statement said. "Expressing deep concern over lapses in safety arrangements at excavation and digging sites, the chief minister has directed strict enforcement of safety norms and fixed clear accountability on officers and contractors," it said. The chief secretary, on the directions of the chief minister, has issued a memorandum listing an eight-point safety framework to be followed without exception at all construction, repair and maintenance works involving digging or excavation of .
Delhi Traffic Police has intensified speed enforcement measures along the NH-44 corridor by conducting trials of handheld laser speed guns at the Libaspur Bus Stand area, officials said on Saturday. Five handheld laser speed cameras were tested on Friday to support enforcement at high-risk and high-speed corridors across the city. 151 challans were also issued during the drive, they said. The Libaspur Bus Stand area, located in an industrial zone with heavy movement of trucks and commercial vehicles, has witnessed a significant number of crashes. According to Delhi Traffic Police data, 68 road accidents were reported in the Libaspur area between 2018 and 2023, including 28 fatal incidents. Police said the new devices would enable accurate detection of vehicles exceeding permissible speed limits and strengthen enforcement at vulnerable locations, particularly in industrial and high-traffic zones. A senior police officer said that focused speed enforcement, along with awareness ...
The Delhi government has enhanced the financial powers of the city's municipal commissioner from Rs 5 crore to Rs 50 crore, paving the way for faster project approvals, the CMO said on Saturday. Regarding the decision, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said empowering local bodies for development is the government's top priority. She emphasised that the decision has been taken with public interest at its core and will directly benefit the people of the capital. Timely execution of development works will ensure better utilisation of resources, enhance the effectiveness of public expenditure, she said. At present, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner is empowered to approve projects only up to Rs 5 crore. Projects exceeding this amount required approval from the corporation's standing committee, followed by final clearance from the House of the Corporation, an statement by the Delhi Chief Minister Office said. This multi-tiered approval mechanism often led to avoidable del
The Delhi government will roll out 500 new electric buses on capital roads on Sunday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said after laying foundation stone for development works worth Rs 400 crore in Matiala constituency in West Delhi district. The chief minister asserted that Delhi has emerged as the city with maximum number of electric buses nationwide, and said the number of e-buses in the capital will rise to 4,000 after the 500 new vehicles are flagged off on Sunday. The Delhi government has targeted to increase the number of e-buses to 11,000, Gupta said, adding that e-buses will be made available to people in every corner of the city within the next two years. She said her government has allocated maximum development funds for Matiala, which is a rural and one of the largest assembly constituencies in Delhi. "The rural pockets of the national capital need to be given a new lease of life because without the development of these agrarian areas, unauthorised colonies, slum clusters, De
A court here on Thursday acquitted Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in a 25-year-old defamation case filed by activist Medha Patkar, stating that the complainant failed to prove her charges against him. The order was pronounced by Judicial Magistrate First Class Raghav Sharma. In March 2025, the court had dismissed Patkar's application to examine additional witnesses in the case, terming it a "deliberate attempt to delay the trial, rather than a genuine necessity". Patkar and Saxena had been locked in a legal tussle since 2000 after she filed a suit against him for publishing advertisements against her and the 'Narmada Bachao Andolan'. Saxena, who then headed an Ahmedabad-based NGO named 'Council for Civil Liberties', had also filed two cases against Patkar in 2001 for making derogatory remarks against him on a TV channel and issuing a defamatory press statement.
A Delhi court on Thursday rejected the bail applications of the three Delhi riots larger conspiracy case accused - Salim Malik, Athar Khan and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing the bail applications of the accused and denied them bail. The trio had filed their bail applications after the Supreme Court granted bail to five other accused in the same case, contending that they are facing similar charges and seeking parity. These three accused have been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) over their alleged involvement in the 2020 riots. Athar, a former call centre employee, has been accused of being one of the main organisers of the protest at Chand Bagh in northeast Delhi and allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches there. According to the Delhi Police's Special Cell, Athar allegedly participated in secret meetings, in which he said that the "time has come to burn Delhi" and coordinated the destruction
The Delhi government may wind up its lending agency DFC in view of its "financial sickness and mounting losses", officials said on Saturday. The Delhi Financial Corporation (DFC), which provides loans to medium, small and micro projects, has been facing "financial constraints" for long, they said. The corporation used to extend financial assistance to restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, other tourism-related activities, construction of commercial complexes, multiplexes, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, diagnostic centres and commercial vehicles among others. Its board of directors, in a meeting in November last year, held detailed deliberations, taking a serious note of the "acute financial constraints" currently faced by the corporation. It was apprised to the board that the share capital has already been eroded and the losses have accumulated to Rs 42 crore. The corporation was also not in a position to repay the total outstanding loan of Rs 80 crore it owed to the Delhi ...
As biting cold prevails across the capital, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Saturday announced that it has opened its 'barat ghars' (banquet halls) and community halls to shelter relatives and attendants of patients near major government hospitals. NDMC Vice-Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal, in a statement, said the step was taken in compliance with directions of the Delhi High Court and in coordination with the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). He said the facility would remain available till March 15, depending on the availability of community halls. The shelters are meant primarily for patients and their attendants visiting AIIMS, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital, many of whom are forced to spend nights outdoors during treatment, the statement read. Chahal said barat ghars and community halls without prior bookings were being used, to ensure that scheduled public functions were not disrupted. "Locations are being chosen carefully so t
PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on Saturday said that the government is planning to construct a new flyover on the Outer Ring Road to tackle traffic congestion in several parts of North-West Delhi. "The proposed flyover will bring direct traffic relief to commuters from Keshopur, Haiderpur, Punjabi Bagh, Pitampura, Shalimar Bagh, Rohini and adjoining areas of North-West Delhi, which currently witness chronic congestion during peak hours," Verma said. PWD has initiated the process for the construction of the flyover connecting the Supplementary Drain near Keshopur Depot to Haiderpur. The study will comprehensively assess traffic volume, engineering design, environmental impact and long-term sustainability, ensuring that the flyover is future-ready and executed without delays, he said. The feasibility study will lay the foundation for swift execution, ensuring the proposed flyover addresses all critical choke points and aligns with Delhi's long-term traffic management and urban developmen
The Delhi civic body on Saturday announced that it will set up 'MCD Shri' schools on the lines of the Centre's 'PM Shri' schools and the Delhi government's 'CM Shri' schools, according to a statement. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh stated that in the first phase, two such schools will be established in each MCD zone, with admissions focused on meritorious students. Singh said these institutions would focus on identifying and nurturing students' abilities while preparing them for higher studies. "Education, values and discipline together form the backbone of society," he said, calling teachers the true builders of the nation for shaping young minds and instilling the right values. Civic body's Education Committee chairman Yogesh Verma said special emphasis was being placed on identifying meritorious students in MCD schools. "As many as 100 outstanding students from Class five will be selected every year, with their names and achievements in academics, sports or co-curricular activities ...
India emerged as the second most congested country in Asia, with New Delhi being the third most jam-packed metro city in the nation last year. According to data released by Netherlands-based location technology firm TomTom, the commuters in the national capital lost an average of 104 hours last year due to traffic congestion, equivalent to four days and eight hours. Among all Indian cities, Delhi ranked fourth with a congestion level of 55.4 per cent last year, 1.7 per cent higher than in 2024, it said. According to the report, globally, the national capital placed 23rd with 60.2 per cent congestion, while in Asia, it ranked seventh. India emerged as the second most congested country in Asia. Nationally, Bengaluru was ranked the most congested city in India and second globally, followed by Pune, Mumbai and New Delhi. Among metro cities, Mumbai topped the list, followed by Bengaluru and Delhi. The study showed that the total time lost last year was five hours and six minutes more t
The national capital is set to face significant water supply disruption until next month, with at least five major water treatment plants (WTPs) of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) reducing water production due to high ammonia levels in the Yamuna and reduced raw water supply from Haryana, officials said on Thursday. The affected WTPs include Wazirabad, Haiderpur Phase 1 and 2, Bawana, and Dwarka, with water production reduced, impacting several areas across the city until February 4. "The situation is being constantly reviewed by DJB. Four water plants are currently operating at 75 per cent of their overall capacity until the situation improves," a senior DJB official informed PTI. The Wazirabad WTP, which has an overall capacity of 138 million gallons per day (MGD), has halted production completely. "Operations at Wazirabad WTP have been temporarily suspended due to high ammonia levels in raw water from the Yamuna and reduced canal supply," DJB officials said. Areas likely to be impact
GRAP 3 restrictions were revoked in Delhi-NCR on Thursday following improvement in air quality. In an order, the Commission on Air Quality Management said the AQI of Delhi had improved to 332 on Thursday, following which the restrictions were being relaxed. It said the weather forecast indicated that the AQI was likely to remain in the 'moderate' to 'poor' category in the coming days.
In a major boost to road infrastructure development in the national capital, the Delhi government approved a six-lane double-decker flyover along Mehrauli-Badarpur (MB) Road in South Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday. In a meeting if the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the project worth an estimated cost of Rs 1,471.14 crore will be completed by December 2027. "The integrated elevated road project, with a total length of nearly 5 kms, will be developed in two phases. The first phase will cover a 2.42-km stretch from Saket G-Block to Sangam Vihar, while the second phase will extend for about 2.48 km from Maa Anandmayee Marg to Pul Prahladpur," CM Gupta said. She said the initiative would mark a significant step towards creating a more organised and seamless traffic network in South Delhi, the corridor will be constructed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). "The design features a double-decker system, with the metro corridor on the upper deck and a six-lane .