Delhi govt worked in 'mission mode' over past year, launched several welfare initiatives: CM Gupta

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said the expansion of the metro network will make daily travel safer and easier for women as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two metro corridors.

Prime Minister Modi inaugurated two metro corridors and laid the foundation stone of three more.

Addressing the event, Gupta said the Delhi government has tried to serve residents with "truth and honesty" while focusing on key civic issues.

The government worked in "mission mode" over the past year and launched several welfare initiatives aimed at helping the poor and workers in the national capital, she said.

Gupta said 70 Atal canteens were opened across Delhi, where meals are provided for Rs 5 to the poor, the needy and workers. Around 70,000 people receive food in these canteens every day, she added.

The government has taken steps to tackle pollution and waterlogging and brought a new drainage master plan for the city after 50 years to address these long-standing issues, she said.

The chief minister also said the government used unclaimed funds to provide Rs 200 crore to the daughters of Delhi, while ensuring that the benefits of earlier schemes reach the needy.

Highlighting administrative reforms, Gupta said all departments of the Delhi government have been digitalised.

She listed initiatives such as the e-file system, digital hospital records, online OPD booking, digital asset management, project management portals and the CM Jansunwai app.

She further said that schools in Delhi have been equipped with 7000 smart classes, 275 computers and 100 digital libraries.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar said the metro network has become a "lifeline" for Delhi, saving time and money for passengers while helping reduce pollution.

Recalling the first metro inauguration on December 24, 2002, by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Khattar said the project was once a dream but has now become a major part of urban transport.

He said that until 2013-14, only 245 km of metro network existed in five cities, but under Modi's leadership, the country has built more than 1,100 km of metro and Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) networks in the past 11 years.

Khattar added that Delhi alone now has more than 500 km of metro network, calling it essential for smooth mobility in the capital.

The prime minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of the Delhi metro projects worth about Rs 18,300 crore.

The two new corridors of the Delhi Metro include the Majlis Park-Maujpur Babarpur (Pink Line) corridor of around 12.3 km and the Deepali Chowk-Majlis Park (Magenta Line) corridor of around 9.9 km.

The new connectivity will benefit several areas of Delhi, including Burari, Jagatpur-Wazirabad, Khajuri Khas, Bhajanpura, Yamuna Vihar, Madhuban Chowk, Haiderpur Badli Mor, Bhalaswa, and Majlis Park, among others.

The foundation stone for three new corridors under Phase V-A of the Delhi Metro, covering a route length of around 16.10 km.

The three new corridors are R K Ashram Marg to Indraprastha, Aerocity to Indira Gandhi Airport Terminal-1, and Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj.