BJP marks one year in Delhi: What's on cards for year 2?

The year has been marked by implementation in welfare and transport, greater coordination with the Centre, and ongoing challenges in pollution control.

As the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Delhi completes its first year in office on Friday, a look at five key sectors that most influence daily life in the Capital – pollution, transport, water supply, education and health – reveals visible progress in several areas alongside persistent structural gaps that continue to shape the urban experience.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta being felicitated during the inauguration of 25 new Atal Canteens, in New Delhi rek (@gupta_rekha X)

The year has been marked by accelerated implementation in welfare and transport, early stages of infrastructure expansion, greater coordination with the Centre, and ongoing challenges in water supply, pollution control, education reforms, and health care capacity.

BJP marks one year in Delhi - What the government promised and what's left for year 2

Pollution: Improvements in coordination, but crisis persists

Transport electrification has emerged as a key pillar of pollution mitigation efforts. The large-scale induction of electric buses and continued emphasis on clean mobility form part of a long-term strategy to reduce vehicular emissions, which remain among the city’s largest pollution sources.

The government announced a 25-point air pollution action plan in June 2025, focusing on deployment of over 200 mechanised road sweepers, more than 140 anti-smog guns, water tankers, and over 70 litter pickers. An innovation challenge was launched to identify new technologies, timelines were set to flatten Delhi’s landfill sites, and plans were announced for an e-waste eco park. Three cloud seeding trials, however, failed to produce rain.

Strict restrictions were introduced on vehicles without valid pollution under control certificates, with older vehicles barred from entering the Capital whenever Stage-4 of the Graded Response Action Plan is invoked. To be sure, the government has twice approached the Supreme Court – first seeking a fresh assessment of so-called “end-of-life” vehicle rules, arguing they unfairly impact owners of well-maintained vehicles, and secondly seeking a reversal of the restriction on bursting firecrackers.

The government has also faced opposition allegations of “tampering” with air quality data and attempting to manipulate it by sprinkling water near monitors.

Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa defended the government’s record on Thursday. “The outgoing government (of the AAP) will never acknowledge the work being done by its successor. It can accept that the sun rises from West but not the fact that the government is doing good work,” he said, adding that the government had earlier admitted that ten years of pollution cannot be fixed in eight months. The strategy focuses on four major pollution sources: vehicles, industries, solid waste, and dust.

Yamuna cleaning and sewage treatment projects launched during the year aim to address environmental degradation through improved waste management. HT reported on January 19 that 48,000kg of defoamer chemical was used in the Yamuna over 63 days between October and December last year, ahead of Chhath puja, to control froth formation.

Despite these measures, seasonal air pollution episodes during winter remain severe, driven by stubble burning, local emissions, construction activity, and meteorological conditions.

Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at EnviroCatalysts, said legacy pollution issues require sustained effort. “We can’t change meteorological factors, so the only solution is reducing emission loads from episodic and continuous sources. It is doable and can be done by governments in coordination with pollution control boards.”

Water: Schemes offer relief, distribution gaps remain

Water management has emerged as a key area where policy announcements and inter-governmental coordination have translated into planned investments, even as supply reliability remains patchy in several localities.

The Late Payment Surcharge waiver scheme provided relief to households burdened by long-pending bills. Delhi has nearly 2.9 million registered water consumers, of which more than 1.5 million had outstanding dues. Of the total billed amount of ₹16,100 crore, around ₹5,100 crore constituted principal, while ₹11,000 crore accumulated as surcharge. Under the scheme, consumers pay only the principal amount, with surcharge waived as a one-time concession. Initially for domestic consumers, the scheme has been extended to commercial users.

Enhanced financial coordination with the Centre marked another development, with the Union government earmarking ₹1,368.88 crore in 2026–27 to strengthen Delhi’s water supply network.

‘We are making big infrastructure investments to improve the water supply situation. We are plugging leakages to resolve around 40% of the supply gap. It is shocking even for us that the national capital does not have water pipeline connections in all households, but these are big projects and will take time to implement,” said water minister Parvesh Verma.

A major proposal under discussion involves exchanging treated wastewater from Delhi’s sewage treatment plants with neighbouring states for fresh raw water. Treated water would be used for irrigation in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in return for raw river water for potable use. River rejuvenation and drinking water augmentation projects worth over ₹1,800 crore linked to the Yamuna cleaning programme have been launched.

However, equitable distribution and pipeline losses remain persistent challenges. Parts of outer Delhi and unauthorised colonies continue to rely on tanker supply, especially during peak summer. Delhi’s water supply pipeline network spans more than 15,400 km, of which 5,200 km are over three decades old, with another 2,700 km in the 20- to 30-year category. Over the past year, residents in areas like Janakpuri and Yojna Vihar have approached courts over sewage-contaminated water.

A water-stressed city, Delhi faces a demand-supply gap that worsens during peak summer, with staggering 55% non-revenue water loss due to frequent bursts, seepage, and unauthorised connections.

Bhim Singh Rawat, water sector expert and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, said Delhi needs a new water policy to overhaul the sector. “A common water policy should be implemented along with focus on optimum utilisation of treated water, massive thrust on rainwater harvesting, and protection of wetlands.”

Transport and roads: Visible expansion amid key gaps

Transport has been among the sectors where government actions have produced visible outcomes, particularly through infrastructure upgrades.

Around 3,000 new buses have been added to Delhi’s fleet in the past year, compared to about 800 inducted during the final two years of the previous administration. Proposals have been submitted to procure 3,330 more electric buses under the Centre’s PM E-DRIVE scheme.

“The expansion is intended to increase last-mile connectivity, reduce dependence on private vehicles, and address overcrowding on existing routes. With these additions, Delhi now has one of the largest electric bus fleets in the country,” chief minister Rekha Gupta told HT last week.

However, the overall bus network has reduced as older vehicles retire. The Delhi Transport Corporation fleet size stands at around 5,600 buses, though the city needs at least 11,000 public buses. This gap results in lack of last-mile connectivity for thousands, eventually leading to congestion.

Ashok Bhasin, president of a federation of North Delhi residents’ welfare associations, said: “Public transport has reduced significantly while road damage has worsened, with several stretches in poor condition and repairs delayed. Even Metro Phase 4 construction has left roads damaged. The government appears focused on advertisements rather than ground-level work, and residents are suffering.”

Experts said integrating bus expansion with improved route planning and faster Metro construction will be critical.

Health: Insurance expansion delivered, capacity building on

Health care has been among the most prominent sectors for early policy implementation. One of the government’s first decisions was to implement Ayushman Bharat in Delhi with a ₹5 lakh state-funded top-up, doubling health insurance coverage to ₹10 lakh per family. This expanded publicly funded access to treatment across government and empanelled private hospitals.

At the primary care level, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been aggressively developed, with plans to increase their number to around 1,100, aimed at improving neighbourhood-level access to free health care. The government has expanded maternal and child welfare programmes, enrolling over 83,700 beneficiaries under maternity support schemes and planning additional nutrition benefits.

Officials said insurance expansion represents a structural shift in healthcare financing, allowing residents access to treatment across hospitals.

However, healthcare experts said expanding hospital capacity, strengthening public hospital infrastructure, and increasing specialist availability will be necessary to meet growing demand.

Education: Fee oversight starts, infrastructure push initiated

Education has seen policy and infrastructure initiatives, though large structural reforms remain at an early stage. The government introduced the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025, aimed at regulating private school fees and improving transparency.

Infrastructure development has been prioritised, with plans for over 7,000 smart classrooms, along with ICT and language laboratories, intended to modernise government schools. Financial assistance schemes are planned to support students preparing for competitive examinations, including travel reimbursement, though full rollout and disbursement remain underway.

Broader proposals such as expanding free education from KG to PG level remain at the consultation and planning stage, with financial feasibility and infrastructure capacity still under evaluation.

Foundations laid, implementation underway

The government’s first year has been characterised by visible expansion in welfare schemes, transport electrification, healthcare insurance, and infrastructure planning, alongside improved coordination with the Centre. At the same time, several long-term structural reforms – including comprehensive water distribution improvements, pollution reduction strategies, education expansion, and health care capacity upgrades – remain ongoing or at the planning stage.

As Delhi enters the second year of the current administration, the focus must shift toward sustained infrastructure delivery and structural improvements across essential public services.