'Delhi Will Breathe Better': CM Rekha Gupta Sets October AQI Deadline At Rising Bharat Summit

Last Updated:February 28, 2026, 21:21 IST

The Delhi CM described pollution, traffic and waterlogging as “legacy problems” inherited from the previous regime, insisting her administration had adopted a “scientific roadmap”

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit on Saturday, placed pollution at the heart of her government’s one-year report card, promising that the Capital would breathe “better air" in the coming months.

Responding to questions on whether 365 days were enough to claim achievements, Gupta struck a measured tone. “One year is not a long period to list countless achievements," she said, adding that what gave her satisfaction was that her government had “worked among the people, faced problems head-on and tried to deliver better solutions".

The Opposition, she acknowledged, continues to argue that pollution levels remain unchanged and that traffic congestion still cripples large parts of the city. Gupta countered sharply: “If an 11-year-old government asks a one-year-old government to answer for every problem, is that fair?"

She described pollution, traffic and waterlogging as “legacy problems" inherited from the previous regime, insisting her administration had adopted a “scientific roadmap" rather than ad-hoc responses. According to her, the real undoing has been of “corruption and leakages," with governance digitised and accountability tightened across departments.

On whether Delhi can ever truly become pollution-free, Gupta was unequivocal. “Definitely," she said. “Every year Delhi will see better air."

She detailed a multi-pronged strategy:

• Implementation of ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ to curb vehicular emissions

• Induction of 4,000 electric buses — the largest such fleet in the capital

• A forthcoming EV policy with subsidies and incentives

• Expansion of last-mile connectivity

• Automated vehicle fitness testing stations (two inaugurated, five planned)

• Notification of 4,200 hectares of ridge area as forest

• A target to plant 3.5 million indigenous trees over four years

Pollution, she argued, cannot be tackled as a seasonal crisis. “We are looking at it holistically—dust, smoke, emissions, green cover—everything together."

The conversation turned sceptical when asked whether her vision sounded more like a hill station than present-day Delhi, notorious for its traffic snarls.

Gupta insisted that improvement depends on public participation as much as policy. “If the government and the people move in one direction, things will improve. Cities like Indore have shown it can be done. No city becomes clean in one day."

Pressed on timelines, she avoided setting a fixed deadline. “This is not time-bound. It is an ongoing process."

But on one specific marker—the Air Quality Index this October—she was willing to commit. “Yes, Delhi will see better air," she said. “We will work collectively towards it."

On financial assistance to women, a politically sensitive promise, Gupta maintained that strengthening women economically remains her government’s intent. She said an eligibility list is being prepared and the scheme will be implemented through an online portal to ensure transparency and avoid leakages.

Yet it was clear that, at the summit, pollution defined the narrative of her first year in office.

With winter historically bringing a blanket of smog over the Capital, Gupta’s assurance of “better AQI this October" now stands as a measurable benchmark.

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