Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday described the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026 as a “common man-centric” initiative designed to benefit families that typically own a single vehicle for long periods, while urging residents to embrace electric mobility.Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta during her interview at her official residence Raj Niwas Marg in New Delhi, India. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)Speaking to HT during an interview at her official residence, Gupta said: “There is still a huge segment where families buy one vehicle and keep it for years, and these families will see the benefit of this policy”.Her remarks come days after the Delhi government unveiled the EV Policy 2026 to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and expand charging infrastructure across the capital. “If the people of the city care for Delhi, they will take advantage of this common man-centric policy’s benefits,” Gupta said, linking the transition to improving the city’s air quality.The policy comes against the backdrop of existing end-of-life vehicle rules, introduced in the National Capital Region (NCR) to control air pollution, under which petrol vehicles are deregistered after 15 years and diesel vehicles after 10 years.Addressing infrastructure concerns, Gupta said the government plans to share the responsibility of building the network with private players and residential bodies rather than relying solely on public agencies. “We have shared the burden of increasing charging points with manufacturers, dealers, RWAs and institutions, who will all set up charging points at vehicle dealerships, within housing complexes and commercial spaces where a large number of vehicles are parked. So, the government, OEMs and private sector will all develop charging points,” she said.Gupta also outlined the government’s approach towards unauthorised colonies and jhuggi clusters, stressing that the focus will remain on legal recognition and regularisation before redevelopment. “There are over 700 jhuggi clusters that have developed over time. We cannot make hundreds of thousands of people homeless without providing an alternative,” she said.The government is working to formally authorise these settlements so residents can register properties and access institutional finance. “Once they start getting registered, they will be able to take loans on their property and then they will be able to properly reconstruct safer structures,” Gupta added.