Summary of this article
Delhi government mandates two-day weekly work-from-home for officials and advises private firms to follow suit.
All official foreign travel by government officials is banned for one year to conserve foreign exchange.
Staggered office timings, a halt on new vehicle purchases, and Monday metro travel for ministers were also announced.
In a major push to conserve fuel and reduce foreign exchange outflow following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal, the Delhi government on Thursday announced a series of stringent measures, including work-from-home for two days a week for government employees and a one-year ban on official foreign travel for all government officials. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the plan as part of the city’s public campaign, “Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdaan”, which comes in response to the ongoing US-Iran conflict and its fallout across West Asia.
The Prime Minister had earlier urged citizens to cut down on petrol and diesel consumption, avoid non-essential foreign travel, and reduce gold purchases.
How The Measures Will Work
Government offices will implement work-from-home for two days each week, while private companies will be advised to follow a similar arrangement, with the Labour Department tasked to monitor compliance. To further ease congestion and reduce fuel burn, the government will introduce staggered office timings for civic, Delhi, and central government offices.
In a symbolic move, all government officials and ministers will travel by metro every Monday. Citizens have also been appealed to observe one “No Vehicle Day” weekly and minimise private vehicle use on weekends.
Other Key Restrictions
The Delhi government will halt all fresh purchases of petrol, diesel, CNG, and hybrid vehicles for the next six months. To promote public transport, the transport allowance for employees may be increased provided part of it is spent on metro or bus services.
Additionally, feeder bus services in 29 government colonies will be upgraded to improve last-mile connectivity for metro passengers. While the one-year ban on official foreign travel is effective immediately, the government has not yet clarified whether already-scheduled trips will be exempted. Detailed implementation guidelines for private firms are expected soon from the Labour Department.
