Delhi ministers shift to metro, buses as govt pushes fuel conservation drive
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi ministers have begun using public transport and limiting the use of official vehicles following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for fuel conservation, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta urging citizens to incorporate Metro travel and carpooling into their daily routines.
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra travelled by Metro on Wednesday and said he would use public transport or only one official vehicle when required. Education Minister Ashish Sood also used the Metro during an inspection visit earlier this week, while BJP MLA Harish Khurana announced that he would commute within his Moti Nagar constituency on an e-scooter.
Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh took a DTC bus from Vikaspuri to the Delhi Secretariat on Wednesday to promote public transport and engage with commuters. During his journey, he collected feedback from passengers and reviewed the public transport services.
North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that he has switched to an electric car. "I also ensured that my staff car pooled instead of using separate vehicles," he said.
Gupta said the Delhi government has decided to minimise the use of official vehicles in response to the prime minister’s call to conserve petrol and diesel amid the current global situation.
She emphasised that ministers, BJP MLAs, government departments, and officials are reducing vehicle usage and prioritising public transport and carpooling wherever possible.
Appealing to Delhi residents to support the initiative, Gupta noted that greater use of Metro trains and buses would not only help save fuel but also reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the national capital.
"Fuel conservation is not only an economic necessity but also a collective responsibility linked to national interest and environmental protection," she said.
The chief minister highlighted that Delhi already has a robust public transport network, with Metro and DTC bus services connecting various parts of Delhi-NCR. She asserted that significant national goals could only be achieved through collective public participation.
According to the Delhi government, the Delhi Metro network spans 416 kilometres with 303 stations and operates more than 4,500 trips daily through 343 trains. The network serves over 65 lakh passengers every day across Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Bahadurgarh.
The Delhi government said the Delhi Transport Corporation currently operates around 6,300 buses, including 4,538 electric buses. The government aims to increase the number of electric buses to 7,500 by the end of 2026 and further to 14,000 by 2028.
Gupta said the government was also strengthening Metro integration, last-mile connectivity and eco-friendly transport systems to encourage more people to shift towards public transport.
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
