In addition to a six-point action plan for cleaning the Yamuna and eradicating the three garbage mountains in the national capital within two years, the Delhi government’s Rs 78,800 crore budget for the fiscal year 2023–24 includes a mega infrastructure push. The latest budget includes the expansion and beautification of 1,400 km of roads, new infrastructure projects and the creation of a better transportation ecosystem, among other things. The Aam Aadmi Party administration has allotted Rs 19,466 crore for the improvement of roads with the goal of creating a “clean, beautiful, and modern” Delhi. The government has set aside Rs 2,034 crore for a number of other infrastructure projects in 2023–2024.
The budget’s infrastructure plan emphasises on installing water sprinklers for better cleaning, routine painting, electrifying all 57 bus depots, building three bus ports, increasing the number of public buses to 10,480 by 2025, implementing mohalla buses for last-mile connectivity, introducing 1,600 new electric buses, and installing 1,400 contemporary bus queue shelters, among other things.
New flyovers, world-class ‘Busports’ and more
- According to Delhi’s Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot, 26 new flyovers will soon be built and 10 of the 26 projects are currently under construction, while 11 proposals have been submitted for approval
- The AAP government also intends to buy 1,600 brand-new electric buses. According to the Finance Minister, the government will redevelop Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar ISBT in addition to developing three “world-class ISBTs”
- The world-class bus terminuses will be called ‘Busport’ and they will house all amenities similar to that of the airports. The transportation industry has been given Rs 9,333 crores
- Rs 3,500 crore has been allocated to improve Delhi’s public transport system. The government has further allocated Rs 1,500 crore for the electrification of 57 bus depots
- Gahlot promised that Delhi’s three landfills would be removed in two years. For this, local bodies will be given financial assistance of Rs 8,241 crore in the financial year 2023-24
- The Delhi minister said the budget also includes Rs 9,742 crore for healthcare. Nine new government hospitals — four of which will be operational by the end of 2023 — are under construction
- As many as 450 tests will be free of cost now at Delhi government’s Mohalla clinics. Earlier, this number was 250. New Mohalla clinics will also be set up at the metro stations
