Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah laid foundation stone of The Delhi CycleWalk at Tughlakabad, New Delhi today.  Present on the occasion were Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal.

Referring about the benefits of the proposed CycleWalk, Shri Shah said that it would reduce air pollution of New Delhi by at least 20% and added that green commuting will now be possible in New Delhi. He also said that this move will usher in an era where green transportation like cycles will become fashionable and would be widely used. He added that the 200 km CycleWalk will also give an impetus to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Fit India’.

Shri Shah noted that roughly 11 lakh people commute on bicycles in New Delhi at present, and efforts should be made to increase this number to 50 lakh cycle commuters, which would make a major difference in Delhi's traffic and pollution levels. He suggested that DDA should establish cycle clubs and encourage the use of cycles by all citizens, especially college-going youngsters.

Speaking on the Ayushmann Bharat scheme, Shri Shah asserted that it is a far superior scheme than any other existing Government health scheme, and expressed disappointment that the poor of Delhi are not able to reap the benefits of it as Delhi Government is not implementing the same.  He commented on the quality of drinking water in Delhi, and said that it is not fit for drinking, and that there is an urgent need to improve the same. He said that promises made by Delhi Government to provide CCTVs, free Wi-Fi and colleges have still not been fulfilled. Shri Shah said that Municipal Corporations have performed the developmental mandate, despite roadblocks.

Shri Shah asserted that the regularization of unauthorized colonies had happened because of the vision and boldness of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and the move would benefit 40 lakh people residing in over 1700 colonies. He added that the pilot project for the same had already begun.

Speaking on the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Shri Shah said that it was a humanitarian law that would benefit persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. He added that the opposition was misleading the country's minority on the issue and was creating an environment of fear. He asserted that CAA will not take away anyone's citizenship, instead it enables the persecuted to be eligible for citizenship.

Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's courageous decision to repeal Articles 370 and 35A had led to Jammu and Kashmir now being an integral part of India and now the tricolor is flying high in Jammu and Kashmir.