Campaign partners:
Young Leaders for Active Citizenship
City Sabha
Raahgiri Foundation
Safetipin
Sustainable Mobility Network
Some Call It Delhi. We Call It Home.
Dilli Ki Disha Ab Dilliwalon Ke Haath Mein Hai
Chalo, Is Sheher Ko Phir Se Apna Banayein
New Delhi, or Dilli as many colloquially call it, is home to over 33.8 million people—a bustling, complex, and deeply personal space. Lately, however, this home has increasingly become uninhabitable for many. From suffocating air pollution to rising heatwaves, crumbling transport systems, and unsafe public spaces, the very essence of urban living in Delhi is under threat.
Transportation is a cornerstone to addressing these issues, with 51.5% of local pollution attributable to transport emissions. Yet Delhi’s unchecked reliance on private vehicles, with approximately 2.071 million private vehicle registrations in 2023, has fueled a rampant health, equity, and sustainability crisis. This surge stems from the lack of reliable, affordable, well-connected public transit and inadequate walking and cycling infrastructure, deepening social inequalities and worsening pollution.
These serious and cross-cutting challenges underscore the urgent need for a citizen-led reimagination of Delhi’s transport system to make the city livable for all. This Dilli Charter, therefore, hopes to represent this imagination and act as a bridge between Dilli’s citizens and its decision-makers and build on the important work carried out for the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 and under the Main Bhi Dilli campaign.
The Dilli Charter represents a collective vision for a Delhi that is accessible, inclusive, and sustainable. Covering key themes such as expanding and improving public transport infrastructure, ensuring inclusivity and safety in urban mobility, combating climate change and air pollution through sustainable practices, and strengthening accountability and governance, the charter provides actionable solutions to reimagine Delhi’s urban landscape. This initiative is supported by CEEW, People Resources Centre, Public Transport Forum, SaveLIFE Foundation, and The Urban Catalysts.
Take Action
As we present this charter to political leaders in Delhi, we need your support to make this vision a reality. Sign the petition to help us bring this Charter to the attention of future members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Every signature matters and your endorsement can drive the sustainable and inclusive mobility reforms outlined in this Charter.
We also encourage you to share the petition with your network and use the hashtag #DilliCharter to spread the word. Together, let’s aim to create a Delhi that doesn’t just survive—but thrives.
List of Demands
Public Transport Infrastructure
Expand Delhi’s bus fleet to 20,000 buses to ensure 60 buses per lakh population, based on the Service Level Benchmark mandated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Ensure peripheral, underserved, and resettlement areas are prioritised during the distribution of these buses and that all buses are functional and zero-emission.
Improve safe last-mile connectivity, especially in peripheral and remote resettlement areas, by:
Implementing the Mohalla Bus Scheme and deploying affordable buses, minibuses, e-rickshaws, and e-autos at a frequency of 10 minutes during peak and non-peak hours.
Incentivising public transport usage, including the metro, over private two-wheelers by reducing the per-ride cost and integrating with last-mile services
Developing an integrated, continuous, and expansive network of NMT and bus lanes, cycle stands, shaded pedestrian pathways, metro stations, bus shelters and stops, and other public transit hubs.
Reduce travel times by providing GPS-based real-time information, enforcing dedicated bus lanes and improving route efficiency in consultation with civil society and local users.
Implement a 'Complete Streets' Policy, which ensures roads are designed to safely and equitably serve all users, including pedestrians, street vendors, cyclists, motorists, and public transport users, to reduce traffic congestion and allocate road space based on diverse needs and rights.
Inclusivity and safety
Enforce laws to ensure no one is denied access to public transport based on caste, class, gender, religion or occupational uniform and gear (e.g., informal construction or sanitation workers)
Ensure all public transport, digital platforms, information systems and streets are designed, built and maintained in line with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act {3} 2016 and Gender-Responsive principles, adopted to strengthen equitable access, inclusivity and ease of use.
Strengthen gender safety and inclusivity by actively conducting regular audits, gender-disaggregated data collection and public consultations to ensure:
End-to-end gender-responsive design and policies such as mandatory halting of buses for women at stops and on-demand at night, enforcement of existing fare-free and seat reservation schemes, street and bus stop lighting, hygienic public toilets with lactation spaces near stations and bus stops, prevention of harassment, and gender sensitisation for transport staff
Increased representation of women and trans people across workforce levels with specific targets for recruitment, retention, and promotion
Establishment of a Gender Advisory Committee within UMTA and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for grievance redressal
Enhance public safety and trust by incorporating features like CCTVs, distress buttons, accessible audio-visual public information systems, and inclusive and comfortable public seating across all public transport infrastructure.
Ensure zero fatalities of all road and transport users by adopting a city-wide safe systems approach, in line with the Transport Policy in Master Plan Delhi, 2021. Measures include enforcing slow streets (30 km/h) around schools and hospitals, improving pedestrian infrastructure, placing safety signboards or speed breakers at black spots, and deploying well-trained first responders as needed.
Climate Change and Air Pollution
Promote walking and cycling as primary modes of transport by developing safe, accessible infrastructure across all roads, with a focus on arterial roads, and integrating these modes into the broader transport network to reduce motorized vehicle reliance.
Create designated parking spaces within 500m of major public transport hubs and mass transit areas, including metro stations, to aid in enhancing last-mile connectivity.
Establish Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in key pollution hotspots across Delhi, especially around schools and hospitals, restricting the entry of high-emission vehicles and promoting cleaner transport alternatives such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, shared electric mobility options and NMTs like cycling.
Mandate a full transition to electric vehicles (EVs) across private and public vehicles by 2030, without compromising access to public transportation. Develop solar-powered charging and battery swapping stations within 3 km of transit hubs and corridors and establish facilities for 100% recycling of EV batteries.
Accountability and Governance
Ensure increased coordination between all relevant departments and parastatals for integrated transport planning and implementation via measures such as establishing a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA).
Create one time-bound, measurable, and integrated State-Level Policy to harmonize and integrate existing planning approaches, enhancing land use and urban mobility informed by robust public consultations and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
Ensure the mandated representation, including members of relevant departments, civil society, and independent experts, in the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas’ to develop a joint, cross-regional, and scientifically grounded action plan that effectively addresses cross-border pollution from sources including vehicles, dust, industries and stubble-burning.
Expedite the creation and implementation of city-wide Parking Management Area Plans (PMAPs) to address traffic congestion, utilise under-used parking areas, demarcate and enforce legal parking and no parking zones, and impose variable parking fees, with increased enforcement and monitoring powers to the MCD and citizen engagement and sensitisation.
Publish data on transport funding sources, including fines, and allocation in the public domain to increase transparency and accountability.
Campaign partners:
Young Leaders for Active Citizenship
City Sabha
Raahgiri Foundation
Safetipin
Sustainable Mobility Network
Some Call It Delhi. We Call It Home.
Dilli Ki Disha Ab Dilliwalon Ke Haath Mein Hai
Chalo, Is Sheher Ko Phir Se Apna Banayein
New Delhi, or Dilli as many colloquially call it, is home to over 33.8 million people—a bustling, complex, and deeply personal space. Lately, however, this home has increasingly become uninhabitable for many. From suffocating air pollution to rising heatwaves, crumbling transport systems, and unsafe public spaces, the very essence of urban living in Delhi is under threat.
Transportation is a cornerstone to addressing these issues, with 51.5% of local pollution attributable to transport emissions. Yet Delhi’s unchecked reliance on private vehicles, with approximately 2.071 million private vehicle registrations in 2023, has fueled a rampant health, equity, and sustainability crisis. This surge stems from the lack of reliable, affordable, well-connected public transit and inadequate walking and cycling infrastructure, deepening social inequalities and worsening pollution.
These serious and cross-cutting challenges underscore the urgent need for a citizen-led reimagination of Delhi’s transport system to make the city livable for all. This Dilli Charter, therefore, hopes to represent this imagination and act as a bridge between Dilli’s citizens and its decision-makers and build on the important work carried out for the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 and under the Main Bhi Dilli campaign.
The Dilli Charter represents a collective vision for a Delhi that is accessible, inclusive, and sustainable. Covering key themes such as expanding and improving public transport infrastructure, ensuring inclusivity and safety in urban mobility, combating climate change and air pollution through sustainable practices, and strengthening accountability and governance, the charter provides actionable solutions to reimagine Delhi’s urban landscape. This initiative is supported by CEEW, People Resources Centre, Public Transport Forum, SaveLIFE Foundation, and The Urban Catalysts.
Take Action
As we present this charter to political leaders in Delhi, we need your support to make this vision a reality. Sign the petition to help us bring this Charter to the attention of future members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Every signature matters and your endorsement can drive the sustainable and inclusive mobility reforms outlined in this Charter.
We also encourage you to share the petition with your network and use the hashtag #DilliCharter to spread the word. Together, let’s aim to create a Delhi that doesn’t just survive—but thrives.
List of Demands
Public Transport Infrastructure
Expand Delhi’s bus fleet to 20,000 buses to ensure 60 buses per lakh population, based on the Service Level Benchmark mandated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Ensure peripheral, underserved, and resettlement areas are prioritised during the distribution of these buses and that all buses are functional and zero-emission.
Improve safe last-mile connectivity, especially in peripheral and remote resettlement areas, by:
Implementing the Mohalla Bus Scheme and deploying affordable buses, minibuses, e-rickshaws, and e-autos at a frequency of 10 minutes during peak and non-peak hours.
Incentivising public transport usage, including the metro, over private two-wheelers by reducing the per-ride cost and integrating with last-mile services
Developing an integrated, continuous, and expansive network of NMT and bus lanes, cycle stands, shaded pedestrian pathways, metro stations, bus shelters and stops, and other public transit hubs.
Reduce travel times by providing GPS-based real-time information, enforcing dedicated bus lanes and improving route efficiency in consultation with civil society and local users.
Implement a 'Complete Streets' Policy, which ensures roads are designed to safely and equitably serve all users, including pedestrians, street vendors, cyclists, motorists, and public transport users, to reduce traffic congestion and allocate road space based on diverse needs and rights.
Inclusivity and safety
Enforce laws to ensure no one is denied access to public transport based on caste, class, gender, religion or occupational uniform and gear (e.g., informal construction or sanitation workers)
Ensure all public transport, digital platforms, information systems and streets are designed, built and maintained in line with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act {3} 2016 and Gender-Responsive principles, adopted to strengthen equitable access, inclusivity and ease of use.
Strengthen gender safety and inclusivity by actively conducting regular audits, gender-disaggregated data collection and public consultations to ensure:
End-to-end gender-responsive design and policies such as mandatory halting of buses for women at stops and on-demand at night, enforcement of existing fare-free and seat reservation schemes, street and bus stop lighting, hygienic public toilets with lactation spaces near stations and bus stops, prevention of harassment, and gender sensitisation for transport staff
Increased representation of women and trans people across workforce levels with specific targets for recruitment, retention, and promotion
Establishment of a Gender Advisory Committee within UMTA and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for grievance redressal
Enhance public safety and trust by incorporating features like CCTVs, distress buttons, accessible audio-visual public information systems, and inclusive and comfortable public seating across all public transport infrastructure.
Ensure zero fatalities of all road and transport users by adopting a city-wide safe systems approach, in line with the Transport Policy in Master Plan Delhi, 2021. Measures include enforcing slow streets (30 km/h) around schools and hospitals, improving pedestrian infrastructure, placing safety signboards or speed breakers at black spots, and deploying well-trained first responders as needed.
Climate Change and Air Pollution
Promote walking and cycling as primary modes of transport by developing safe, accessible infrastructure across all roads, with a focus on arterial roads, and integrating these modes into the broader transport network to reduce motorized vehicle reliance.
Create designated parking spaces within 500m of major public transport hubs and mass transit areas, including metro stations, to aid in enhancing last-mile connectivity.
Establish Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in key pollution hotspots across Delhi, especially around schools and hospitals, restricting the entry of high-emission vehicles and promoting cleaner transport alternatives such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, shared electric mobility options and NMTs like cycling.
Mandate a full transition to electric vehicles (EVs) across private and public vehicles by 2030, without compromising access to public transportation. Develop solar-powered charging and battery swapping stations within 3 km of transit hubs and corridors and establish facilities for 100% recycling of EV batteries.
Accountability and Governance
Ensure increased coordination between all relevant departments and parastatals for integrated transport planning and implementation via measures such as establishing a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA).
Create one time-bound, measurable, and integrated State-Level Policy to harmonize and integrate existing planning approaches, enhancing land use and urban mobility informed by robust public consultations and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
Ensure the mandated representation, including members of relevant departments, civil society, and independent experts, in the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas’ to develop a joint, cross-regional, and scientifically grounded action plan that effectively addresses cross-border pollution from sources including vehicles, dust, industries and stubble-burning.
Expedite the creation and implementation of city-wide Parking Management Area Plans (PMAPs) to address traffic congestion, utilise under-used parking areas, demarcate and enforce legal parking and no parking zones, and impose variable parking fees, with increased enforcement and monitoring powers to the MCD and citizen engagement and sensitisation.
Publish data on transport funding sources, including fines, and allocation in the public domain to increase transparency and accountability.