BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Monday, 18 May joined the 'Metro Monday' campaign in New Delhi, travelling aboard the Delhi Metro and an electric auto alongside New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal, as part of a city-wide push for public transport use and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The campaign follows a fuel conservation call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is being led on the ground by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

What the Campaign Involved

Tiwari and Chahal travelled across the city using public transport, stopping to speak with daily commuters about their travel routines and gather on-ground feedback. Several passengers, according to Tiwari, shared that they regularly use the Metro for long-distance commutes — including routes between Gurugram and Noida — and walk the last 500–600 metres from their homes to the nearest station.

'We had the opportunity to interact with so many people. One person told me, 'I want to meet you,' and I invited him the next day,' Tiwari said. 'Some people shared their experiences that they travel by Metro regularly. Their homes are about 500–600 metres from the Metro station, so they walk to the station and then continue their journey.'

NDMC Launches 50% EV Parking Discount at Connaught Place

A key announcement on the day was the NDMC's new scheme offering a 50 per cent discount on parking charges for electric vehicles at Connaught Place, one of New Delhi's busiest commercial hubs. Tiwari and Chahal distributed parking passes under the scheme and urged residents to switch to EVs as a step toward reducing urban pollution and supporting sustainable development.

The initiative is positioned under the broader national campaigns 'Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdaan' and 'EV India', which aim to accelerate clean energy adoption across Indian cities.

The Broader Policy Context

The 'Metro Monday' drive is part of a wider government effort to shift urban commuters away from personal fossil-fuel vehicles. New Delhi, which consistently ranks among the world's most polluted capitals, has seen sustained policy pressure to expand EV infrastructure and incentivise public transport use. This is the latest in a series of symbolic and structural interventions — ranging from odd-even schemes to EV subsidies — that successive administrations have deployed to address the city's air quality crisis.

Notably, the NDMC's parking rebate directly targets Connaught Place, a high-footfall zone where parking demand is significant, making the financial incentive potentially more impactful than in lower-traffic areas.

What Comes Next

Officials indicated that the parking discount scheme will remain in effect as an ongoing incentive rather than a one-time event. The campaign's organisers appealed to Delhi residents to adopt EVs and use public transport as everyday choices, framing the shift as both an environmental and civic responsibility.