CM Gupta sets 2026 target for all-electric public transport
New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced an ambitious roadmap to make all public transport vehicles in the Capital fully electric by the end of 2026, calling it a landmark step towards cleaner mobility and safer roads.
Speaking at an event organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Gupta said that the government is drafting a new model Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2.0 to accelerate
adoption. She urged the auto industry to partner with Delhi in bringing a wider range of EVs to the city.
“We can give you an excellent market so that you can bring a variety of EVs to Delhi for people to buy them. By 2026, we will move to an all-electric fleet in our public transport. Every third vehicle in Delhi should be electric. We are in discussions with stakeholders and developing a model Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0. We have one target to improve Delhi’s air quality,” Gupta said.
The chief minister also highlighted the pressing need to enforce stricter road safety norms, noting that human negligence remains a bigger problem than vehicle malfunction. “Accidents happen every minute, every hour. Vehicles are not to blame; it is the drivers. We need to change the Indian mindset. Many take pride in not wearing seat belts. There must be stricter enforcement of traffic rules. If you fear breaking traffic laws abroad, you should not be allowed to break them here,” she remarked.
Gupta stressed that people must follow rules “not for the sake of the government, but for their own safety.”
The chief minister acknowledged that Delhi continues to struggle with long-standing civic challenges such as garbage mountains, traffic congestion, and high levels of pollution. She assured that her government is addressing these legacy issues alongside pushing new reforms like the EV policy.
The Delhi government had earlier extended the current EV policy until March 31,
2026, after the first framework, introduced in 2020, lapsed in August 2023.
