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Prime Minister’s push for austerity measures echoed by Delhi’s locals, leaders
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens to adopt austerity measures amid a challenging global environment affecting the Indian economy, also encouraging the use of public transport and carpooling. With leaders setting the example, residents of the Capital appear equally willing to step up and contribute in these testing times.
New Delhi
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the clarion call to citizens to adopt austerity measures in view of uncertain global situation that’s impacting Indian economy. After urging the citizens to use public transport and opt for car pooling as well as buy less gold and limit foreign travel, the PM has now directed the Special Protection Group (SPG) to reduce his convoy size by at least 50% and has even pushed for the use of electric vehicles in his fleet.
Following PM’s call, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reduced the size of his convoy on Wednesday, and soon Kapil Mishra, Delhi Minister for Art, Culture & Tourism, uploaded a Reel showing how he took to Delhi Metro for his daily commute. Taking to X, Mishra clearly mentioned in a post: “... I will use public transport or, only when necessary, a single government vehicle...”
When the leaders lead with an example, the citizens of the Capital are also feeling pumped to give their best to the country in such times of need. “When it comes to being there for the country, it should not just be something that people do. Also when our Prime Minister has appealed for it then should become a part of our lifestyle to save fuel with our small steps,” says Shruti Singh, a 21-year-old deployment consultant who believes that sustainable commuting needs to become a habit rather than a one-time response to an appeal. She adds, “I travel from Noida to Gurugram every day for work, and while travelling in Delhi Metro does feel tiring but it also makes me a more responsible citizen. Even carpooling and ride sharing is a smart alternative because it helps reduce fuel consumption significantly. So if more people begin using the public transport and take to carpooling regularly then the collective impact can be hugely positive.”
Rahul Bajaj, a 25-year-old Delhi-based entrepreneur, also believes that the time is ripe to follow what’s right for not just the country’s economy but even the environment. “To meet clients, I usually travel across NCR at least thee to four times a week. I take my car, more out of habit and convenience than anything. But, now I’m going to take the Metro wherever possible since it’s not everyday that the PM makes an appeal and city’s ministers also take to public transport. The facility of convenient public transport was always there, but we just needed a push to start using it more. So when you know that by doing so you can also contribute to your country’s progress then making a small difference in your lifestyle to serve a large cause is not much that we are being asked for.”
“This will encourage more people to use public transport but I also hope that our public transport system is equipped to handle the rise in commuters. For eg. In Delhi Metro, there is a system in place but the connectivity of other public transport should be strong enough. Also, wherever there is a need for short travel, the use of bicycles can always be brought back since it is not just sustainable but also a healthy practice,” Rohit Syal, a final-year student of Delhi University
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