New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday emphasised that the government is prioritising the rapid expansion of the Delhi Metro network to strengthen public transport and combat air pollution in the capital and the NCR.

Speaking on the government’s renewed focus on sustainable transport, CM Gupta said that controlling pollution effectively requires a robust public transport system with seamless last-mile connectivity. She noted that the Transport Department has been allocated a 60 per cent increase in funds in the 2025-26 budget to bolster public transportation.

“The Delhi Government is also clearing pending liabilities on Metro projects left unpaid by previous administrations,” the Chief Minister added, stressing that earlier neglect of the city’s transport infrastructure has contributed to the current pollution crisis.

Citing data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and other research bodies, she noted that vehicular emissions are a major source of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Strengthening public transport, particularly the Delhi Metro, is therefore critical to reducing dependence on private vehicles and addressing the environmental challenge.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Net Zero Emission’, the Delhi Government has made substantial budgetary provisions for Metro expansion. The 2025-26 budget allocates Rs 9,110 crore, up from Rs 5,702 crore in 2024-25, marking an increase of nearly 60 per cent. Of this, Rs 2,929 crore is specifically earmarked for Metro expansion, compared with Rs 500 crore allocated by the previous government.

The Cabinet has approved three major corridors under MRTS Phase-IV: Lajpat Nagar to Saket, Inderlok to Indraprastha, and Rithala to Kundli (Haryana). The Delhi Government will bear Rs 3,386.18 crore of the project cost, having already released Rs 940 crore this financial year, with the next instalment of Rs 336 crore in process. Pending liabilities of nearly Rs 2,700 crore from earlier phases are also being cleared.

CM Gupta stressed that lasting solutions to Delhi’s pollution crisis require a reliable, extensive and convenient public transport network. “Our aim is to make the Metro so comprehensive that citizens do not need to rely on private vehicles, even for last-mile connectivity,” she said.

IANS