Amid PM's austerity push, Delhi CM flags off Uber ride-sharing service
New Delhi, May 22
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday flagged off Uber's ride-sharing service in the national capital, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to adopt austerity measures in view of the global uncertainty triggered by the West Asia crisis.
Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa was also present at the occassion.
Speaking on the initiative, Sirsa said promoting ride-sharing is necessary to reduce pollution in the national capital, adding that it will help save fuel and money.
He further noted that the initiative is aimed at tackling pollution in the National Capital.
Speaking to the media, Sirsa said, "It is necessary for people to share their rides to reduce pollution in Delhi. Uber's service will start from Delhi Airport today. This will reduce pollution, and along with that, there will be savings in fuel and money..."
This comes amid PM Modi urged citizens to prioritise work from home, cut fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, reduce cooking oil use, shift to natural farming and curb gold purchases, while addressing a gathering in Secunderabad.
To combat the volatility of fuel prices, PM Modi urged a shift in how India moves. He requested citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using the metro and public transport wherever available, opting for carpooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods, and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Gupta announced a major rationalisation of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) infrastructure charges.
Announcing the decision at a press conference here, CM Gupta said, "...We have taken a major decision to completely rationalise the infrastructure charges being levied by the Delhi Jal Board. Now, infrastructure charges for water and sewer will be levied only based on water requirement... The charges will be according to how much water is needed. Infrastructure charges will be levied only on new construction or additional construction... The water requirement in open areas will not be included in the infrastructure charges..."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good step but let's be real. Uber ride-sharing in Delhi? Have you seen our traffic? Also, safety concerns for women sharing rides with strangers. First fix the roads and make public transport safer, then talk about sharing. 👎
At least they are doing something concrete instead of just giving speeches. PM says reduce fuel, CM flags off ride-sharing. This is how governance should work - coordinated actions. Now hope the implementation is smooth and not another bureaucratic mess.
Finally some innovation! In the US, ride-sharing is huge and saves tons of emissions. India adopting this shows we are serious about climate change and fuel conservation. Kudos to the government for thinking ahead! 🌍💪
Ride-sharing from Delhi Airport is smart - that's where the most expensive cab rides happen. But what about the rest of Delhi? Need to expand to more routes. Also, please ensure drivers get fair compensation. Good initiative overall though.
This is a welcome move. Pollution in Delhi is choking us, and anything that reduces vehicle usage helps. Just wish the government would also focus on expanding metro and electric buses. One step at a time I guess... 🚇⚡
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