Metro Matters

Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Delhi elections in-charge Prakash Javadekar spoke to Hindustan Times about the upcoming Assembly polls, the party’s main talking points to the electorate, the performance of civic agencies, the anti-CAA protests, and police handling of the Jamia Millia Islamia and Jawarharlal Nehru University incidents.

The Mohalla Clinics is one of the flagship schemes of the AAP government in Delhi. With the aim to fix the primary healthcare in the city, the government had earlier announced the opening of 1,000 clinics. The project had a slow start because, initially, it ran into problems with the L-G, and later, the government couldn't get land. But in the last few months, there has been considerable expansion. Delhi now has 302 mohalla clinics and the government is targetting to open 200 more in the coming months. In this video, Hindustan Times' metro editor Shivani Singh speaks to Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain and the doctors at these clinics about the work done so far, the challenges and the way ahead. She also speaks to patients about how free primary healthcare has made a difference in their lives.

In this episode of Metro Matters, Hindustan Times' metro editor Shivani Singh speaks to Bhure Lal, the chairperson of the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) about the air pollution crisis in Delhi and National Capital Region. The Supreme Court-mandated EPCA is the enforcing body for the Graded Response Action Plan that defines specific measures to tackle different levels of air pollution throughout the year. Lal says that in many places, enforcement of these measures is lacking and even if agencies are taking action on cases of polluting activities flagged by EPCA, it is often “after the event”.

In this episode of Metro Matters, Delhi’s PWD minister Satyendar Jain speaks to Hindustan Times’ metro editor Shivani Singh about the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government’s decision to redesign nine arterial roads in the national capital to streamline traffic movement. Jain dispels the notion that creating space for pedestrians and cyclists will reduce the road space for vehicles and result in traffic jams. He also talks about the government efforts to mitigate dust pollution and waterlogging and ensure a smooth ride on city roads.

In the latest edition of Metro Matters, Mangu Singh, managing director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, speaks to Shivani Singh, metro editor, Hindustan Times. The Delhi Metro chief talks about tackling the challenges of punctuality in operations, the growing problem of crowding at stations as well as fixing last-mile connectivity. Mangu Singh says that the corporation is planning to introduce new, energy-efficient mobility options such as e-rickshaws and e-bikes to complement the feeder bus service. He also talks about the new Metrolite project and the Phase IV expansion.

In this episode of Metro Matters, Shivani Singh, speaks to Sunita Narain, member of the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), about the hits and misses in Delhi's fight against air pollution. Supporting the Delhi government's decision to enforce odd-even road space rationing from November 4-15, Narain backed the inclusion of two-wheelers in the plan. Narain said she hopes that the arrangement will be brought in every time pollution levels turn severe in the city.

Hindustan Times' Metro Editor Shivani Singh talks to Delhi Police’ Special Commissioner (Traffic) Taj Hassan about the impact on Delhi roads since the implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles Act. Hassan believes that steep fines are needed in a city such as Delhi. He adds that since the amended law came into force on September 1, more people are wearing seat belts and helmets, and many drivers have started following the stop line regulation.

Hindustan Times metro editor Shivani Singh speaks to Delhi's transport and environment minister Kailash Gahlot about the AAP government's decision to reintroduce for the third time 'the odd and even' road space rationing between November 4 and 15. Gahlot says that two-wheeler riders will be exempt from the drive because the public transport is still not adequate to take the extra load of passengers. Also even as critics question the efficacy of this arrangement in bringing down pollution levels, Gahlot says he is hopeful that the city's air will be cleaner after Odd-Even 3.0.

Hindustan Times metro editor Shivani Singh speaks to historian Swapna Liddle, also the convener of the Delhi chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), about Delhi’s renewed plans to seek the UNESCO world heritage city status. Liddle, whose organisation is helping the government prepare the brief for the city’s nomination, says the recognition will set off a chain reaction among Delhi's residents and authorities to look at our heritage areas differently and work together to retain that privileged tag.

Hindustan Times metro editor Shivani Singh attends a happiness class. The special classes were launched by the Delhi government in the state-run schools last year to address the emotional concerns of students. We speak to Delhi's education minister Manish Sisodia about the happiness curriculum, and learn from a bunch of students and their teachers about the journey.