Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta says air and Yamuna pollution are legacy issues, defends long-term reforms on transport, waste and sewage, and argues that structural changes, not quick fixes, will deliver lasting results.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has described air pollution and the pollution of the Yamuna river as “legacy problems” rooted in years of neglect and short-term policymaking by previous governments. She said her administration is now focused on long-term, structural solutions.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Gupta pushed back against criticism that measures such as GRAP, Odd-Even restrictions, artificial rain and anti-smog guns have failed. She said these were never intended to be permanent fixes.
“Pollution is a legacy problem resulting from the negligence of previous governments. If we look at pollution only from the perspective that the air should be clean, we will not get results,” Gupta said. “You have to work on dust, air and water together, with a holistic vision.”
Taking aim at the Aam Aadmi Party, Gupta said earlier administrations relied on short-term measures and publicity, while deeper reforms were ignored.
“Sprinklers, anti-smog guns and mist can give only short-term relief. The real work should have been done on dust mitigation, public transport and long-term planning,” she said.
Gupta identified vehicular emissions, road dust and waste mismanagement as the main drivers of Delhi’s air pollution, which often stays in the ‘severe’ category during winter. While vehicle emissions are widely cited as a key cause, she said public transport was never expanded to the scale required.
Laying out her government’s plan, Gupta said Delhi’s public transport system is being gradually shifted towards zero emissions. “When we came, we planned that public transport should be 100 per cent electric and on clean fuel,” she said. Delhi currently has about 3,600 buses. “We added 1,700 buses after coming to power, and by December 2026, this will reach 7,700. Our requirement is 11,000 buses, which we will complete by 2028.”
She said funds have been sanctioned for Metro expansion, improved last-mile connectivity through EV autos, e-bikes and cycles near Metro stations, and stricter action against unfit and polluting vehicles.
“The government has to make a 360-degree movement. Work has to be done on every single aspect,” Gupta said.
On dust pollution, she pointed to changes in road construction and maintenance practices. “Earlier, one department would build a road, and another would dig it again. This was the work culture of Delhi,” she said. “We are changing that by enforcing ducting and accountability.” Engineers from the PWD and MCD, she added, have been brought together to standardise procedures.
Gupta also linked Delhi’s garbage mountains directly to air pollution, saying visible reductions at landfill sites are the result of policy-driven, time-bound action.
“Delhi generates about 11,000 metric tonnes of garbage daily. Earlier, it was never processed, and that is why mountains of garbage were formed,” she said, accusing the Opposition of merely shifting waste from one location to another. She said the government is confident of clearing legacy waste at the Okhla and Bhalswa landfill sites by 2026, though work at Ghazipur may take longer.
“These results are not without policy and dedication,” she said.
Turning to the Yamuna, Gupta said untreated sewage, cattle dung and industrial waste flowing directly into drains had severely polluted the river. “Friends, drains were falling straight into Yamuna ji. Sewage treatment plants were not upgraded. These conditions were spoiled over years,” she said.
She said her government has upgraded 37 old sewage treatment plants and launched large-scale de-silting of drains across the city. “As soon as we came, we started de-silting work. New machines from Finland are being used at places like Najafgarh, Barapullah and Sunheri Pullah,” she said.
Gupta also highlighted efforts to process cattle dung through biogas plants. “For so many years, did anyone think of setting up biogas plants? Thousands of tonnes of dung went into drains and then into Yamuna ji,” she said. “We have started the first plant to process 600 tonnes, with more plants in the pipeline.”
