Delhi government orders 2-day ‘work from home’ for its staff every week

To support implementation, the Delhi Labour Department will set up a single-window help desk and call centre, and engage with companies and institutions, according to an official statement by the Chief Minister’s Office.

Gupta said she would scale down her own official convoy to four vehicles and prioritise the use of electric vehicles and public transport.

The Delhi government also announced a 20% reduction in monthly fuel allowances for officials. Employees who spend at least 25% of their transport allowance on public transport will receive a 10% incentive, she added.

Every Monday will be observed as “Metro Monday”, encouraging ministers and staff to use public transport. Citizens have been urged to observe a voluntary weekly “No Vehicle Day”, Gupta said.

To ease congestion, staggered office timings have been introduced to reduce peak-hour traffic: government offices will function from 10:30 am to 7 pm, while Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices will operate from 8:30 am to 5 pm.

The administration has also proposed shifting 50% of official meetings online, with universities and colleges advised to conduct non-practical classes and administrative work virtually. Courts have been requested to maximise virtual hearings, the statement said.

The Delhi government has also suspended the purchase of new official vehicles for six months, reduced the size of official motorcades, and capped domestic travel expenditure by 20%, Gupta said. All official foreign visits by ministers and officials have been suspended for one year, while large government events will be curtailed for the next three months, she said.

To support last-mile connectivity, a route plan for 58 feeder buses has been prepared to connect 29 government colonies with nearby Metro stations. Traders and logistics operators have been advised to shift freight movement from road to rail wherever feasible to cut diesel consumption.

Energy efficiency measures in government offices will include mandatory air conditioning settings between 24-26°C and installation of sensor-based master switches to reduce electricity usage.

The government will also roll out a 90-day “Made in India” campaign from Friday, including dedicated sections in malls and supermarkets, a verified list of domestic products, and outreach across schools, colleges, RWAs and institutions, Gupta said.

KEY MEASURES

2-day work-from-home; exemption for essential services

20% cut in fuel allowance; 10% incentive for using public transport

“Metro Monday” for ministers, staff

Staggered office timings: Delhi govt (10:30 am-7 pm); MCD (8:30 am-5 pm)

50% of official meetings online

Six-month freeze on new official vehicles; reduced motorcades

1-yr ban on official foreign visits