NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said her government is focused on strengthening governance, easing traffic congestion, reclaiming public spaces and cleaning the Yamuna as part of its vision to transform Delhi into a world-class capital, while asserting that public opinion remains central to policymaking. The people and their opinions matter more than the government, Gupta said in an exclusive interview with The Morning Standard.
Gupta said she is determined to develop Delhi into “a world-class city” and had spent first 17 months restoring governance after inheriting what she described as an administration whose “very ethos” had been destroyed by the previous AAP dispensation. Reflecting on the experience, she said “it was not an easy task”, and alleged that there had been “a complete breakdown of governance and widespread corruption by the AAP government”.
Acknowledging traffic challenges, she said congestion was affecting productivity, businesses and quality of life. “Every minute lost in traffic is time taken away from families, work and economic growth,” she said.
Gupta said there was no single solution to the problem and that the government was pursuing a multi-pronged strategy by expanding electric public transport, promoting greater use of shared mobility, improving last-mile connectivity, strengthening traffic management systems and accelerating infra projects to eliminate bottlenecks. “A world-class capital cannot spend its future waiting at traffic signals,” she said.
The CM also said that her government was intensifying efforts to remove encroachments from roads and public spaces while safeguarding the livelihoods of those affected.
“Roads are meant for movement, not for obstruction. We have launched drives to reclaim footpaths and public spaces while ensuring that no one loses their livelihood. Good governance is measured not by how many roads are built, but by how smoothly people can travel on them,” she said.
Highlighting parking as another major urban governance challenge, Gupta said the issue had been neglected for years despite the rapid increase in the number of vehicles. She said the government was adopting a scientific approach to improve the utilisation of existing parking spaces while stepping up enforcement against illegal parking. “Roads must mainly serve mobility. Every square metre of public space is valuable. It should be managed, not misused.”
Reiterating the BJP’s poll promise to clean the Yamuna, she said the government was treating its rejuvenation as a long-term mission rather than a symbolic exercise. “The challenges have accumulated over decades. They cannot disappear in a few months. But there are visible changes and we will keep our promises.”
