Delhi Govt Announces 2-Day Work-From-Home Policy, Metro Monday Initiative to Reduce Fuel Consumption

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced a sweeping set of measures aimed at reducing fuel consumption, easing traffic congestion, and cutting dependence on imported fuel, including a policy allowing government employees to work from home two days a week.

The Chief Minister also said the private sector would be advised to implement work-from-home arrangements, with the labour department tasked with monitoring compliance.

The announcements form part of a series of measures aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for "wise spending" and fuel conservation, aimed at reducing fuel consumption and easing pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

Among the key decisions, the government said 50 per cent of official meetings will now be held online to cut travel and fuel use. The official petrol and diesel quota for officers' vehicles has been cut by 20 per cent, and all ministers' offices will use the Metro on Mondays.

The Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will also change office timings to help reduce traffic congestion and fuel consumption during peak hours.

In a push to promote public transport, Delhi will observe a "Metro Day", and the government will appeal to people to follow a "No Car Day" once every week. To encourage public transport usage among employees, 58 special buses will be operated across 29 government colonies for government staff.

The Delhi government further announced that it will not purchase any new vehicles for the next six months.

Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Gupta also reduced her official motorcade by nearly 60 per cent, bringing it down to just four vehicles.

The revised convoy structure includes two electric vehicles (EVs), marking a notable shift towards cleaner and more sustainable mobility in official travel.

The decisions come after Prime Minister Modi made seven appeals to citizens to contribute towards economic resilience by reducing dependence on imported fuel and adopting environmentally sustainable alternatives amid the West Asia conflict.

(With inputs from ANI)