New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and discussed issues related to the national capital's all-round development, strengthening infrastructure, and the commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of the people.

Chief Minister Gupta called on PM Modi ahead of the presentation of the Delhi Budget 2025-26 on March 24 in the Assembly.

CM Rekha Gupta also heads the government’s Finance Department.

Pollution mitigation, women-centric proposals, and infrastructure projects planned for the city also came up for discussion.

In a post on social media, Chief Minister Gupta said: “I had the privilege of meeting Prime Minister Shri @narendramodiji, during which I received his invaluable guidance.”

“His visionary leadership and special affection for Delhi always fill us with fresh energy and inspiration. During this inspiring meeting, we held detailed discussions on Delhi's all-round development, strengthening infrastructure, and the commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of the people,” she said.

“With the able guidance and continuous support of the Honourable Prime Minister, we are fully committed to taking our Delhi to new heights of progress, prosperity, and good governance. Heartfelt thanks to the Honourable Prime Minister for his constant inspiration and for giving his valuable time,” she wrote.

Earlier, in a significant move aimed at improving traffic flow and air quality in the capital, the Delhi government approved the payment of its pending share of Rs 3,700 crore for land acquisition related to the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.

Chief Minister Gupta said the decision would help ease congestion caused by heavy vehicles and bring down pollution levels in the city.

These expressways were designed to divert non-destined traffic -- especially trucks -- away from Delhi, thereby reducing pressure on city roads.

Taking a swipe at the previous government, the Chief Minister alleged that the project had suffered due to a lack of seriousness and political differences with the Centre, which led to deliberate delays in clearing the dues, ultimately harming Delhi’s interests.

Gupta said the Cabinet recently approved a proposal by the Public Works Department to clear the outstanding amount in a phased manner.

As part of this plan, Rs 500 crore will be released in the financial year 2025-26 from the revised budget estimates to the Union government or the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The remaining Rs 3,203.33 crore will be paid in instalments in the coming years, depending on budgetary provisions, she said.

--IANS

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