NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, along with the Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, laid the foundation stone for a 500 kW solar power plant at the Assembly premises on Monday.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was also present on the occasion. The Vidhan Sabha Secretariat said that the project makes the premises the first in the country to operate entirely on solar energy, setting a national benchmark for sustainable and responsible governance.
Commending the initiative, the L-G said, “Today’s foundation stone is not just for a solar plant—it’s for a cleaner, greener future rooted in responsible governance.” He highlighted the significant scale-up of the plant from 200 kW to 500 kW, achieved despite spatial and technical constraints. Saxena further affirmed the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) full support for efforts to designate the Assembly as a heritage site, adding, “Having visited the Assembly earlier, I am keen on protecting its rich history.”
Speaker Vijender Gupta elaborated on the Delhi Assembly’s ongoing modernisation and sustainability initiatives, which include the digitisation of the Assembly library, the implementation of the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), light and sound Show and infrastructure upgrades aligned with the vision of preserving th e Assembly as a heritage site.
The move is expected to result in zero electricity bills, generating estimated savings of approximately Rs 15 lakh per month, while reducing the carbon footprint of the Assembly premises.
The speaker said the project will be completed within 45 days and help the Assembly save Rs 1.75 crore annually through zero electricity bills.
The entire cost of the 500-kW solar plant will be recovered within a year, he said. “I hope this message of green energy will be adopted by Delhi people and they will install solar panels on their rooftops,” the speaker said.