Delhi govt hikes transport dept budget by 60 pc to Rs 9,110 cr

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) The Delhi government has increased the transport department's budget by nearly 60 per cent in 2025-26 to Rs 9,110 crore, with a major push for Delhi Metro expansion to curb air pollution, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday.

She said adequate provisions have been made for Metro expansion so that ongoing projects proceed without hindrance and added that the government is also clearing pending liabilities related to Metro projects left unpaid by previous governments.

The chief minister said effective control of pollution in Delhi-NCR requires a strong public transport system with seamless last-mile connectivity.

Citing data from the Centre for Science and Environment and other institutions, Gupta said vehicular emissions are a major contributor to pollution in Delhi-NCR and strengthening public transport is essential to reduce dependence on private vehicles.

She said the government has made substantial budgetary provisions for public transport in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Net Zero Emission'.

The chief minister said the allocation for the transport department has gone up from Rs 5,702 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 9,110 crore in 2025-26, while the allocation for Metro projects has increased to Rs 2,929 crore from around Rs 500 crore last year.

She added that the cabinet has approved three Phase-IV MRTS corridors -- Lajpat Nagar to Saket, Inderlok to Indraprastha, and Rithala to Kundli -- for which the Delhi government will bear a financial responsibility of Rs 3,386.18 crore.

An amount of Rs 940 crore has already been released in the current financial year, and the next instalment of Rs 336 crore is in process, and pending liabilities of nearly Rs 2,700 crore related to Metro Phases I, II, and III are also being cleared, she said.

Gupta said the government aims to make the Metro network so comprehensive that people do not need to rely on private vehicles, adding that the focus is on developing eco-friendly, sustainable transport system to ensure cleaner air for future generations. PTI SLB TRB