Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas Holds 19 Meetings in Delhi; Reviews Jaipur Metro Expansion and 1,150 E-Buses
During his two-day visit to the national capital, the 1989-batch IAS officer discussed major infrastructure projects, urban transport, electric bus services and pending administrative matters with Union Ministers and senior Central government officials.
Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas (IAS: 1989: Rajasthan) held 19 meetings with Union Ministers, senior Central government officials and other functionaries during his two-day visit to New Delhi. The discussions focused on expediting key development projects, reviewing urban infrastructure initiatives and addressing matters requiring coordination between the Centre and the state government.
The meetings covered several priority areas, including the expansion of Jaipur Metro, implementation of the PM-eBus Sewa scheme, development of electric bus infrastructure and improvements in urban civic services.
The discussions were aligned with the development priorities of the Rajasthan government under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, with particular emphasis on strengthening infrastructure and improving public transport facilities.
Jaipur Metro Expansion Reviewed with Urban Affairs Ministry
One of the major engagements during the visit was Srinivas’s meeting with Satendra Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, at Sankalp Bhawan in New Delhi. The meeting reviewed the progress of Jaipur Metro projects and discussed the expansion of the city’s urban transport network.
Two important components of the metro expansion plan were taken up:
Badi Chaupar-Transport Nagar Extension: The 3.80-kilometre extension is under construction and is expected to extend the existing metro corridor towards Transport Nagar. Jaipur Metro Phase 2: The proposed 41-kilometre North-South corridor will connect Prahladpura with Todi Mod through 36 stations.
The second phase received Union Cabinet approval in April 2026 at an estimated cost of ₹13,037.66 crore. Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation Limited, a joint venture between the Central and state governments, is implementing the project, which is targeted for completion by September 2031.
The proposed corridor is expected to improve connectivity to several important locations, including Sitapura Industrial Area, Jaipur Airport, Tonk Road, SMS Hospital, Ambabari and Vidhyadhar Nagar.
Rajasthan’s Approved Electric Bus Fleet Rises to 1,150
The implementation of the PM-eBus Sewa scheme was another key subject discussed during the Chief Secretary’s meetings. Rajasthan had initially received approval for 675 electric buses across eight cities. Subsequently, an additional 475 buses were sanctioned, taking the state’s total approved allocation to 1,150 buses across nine cities.
According to reports, Rajasthan had received 250 electric buses at the time of the review, including 103 allocated to Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL). Of these, 58 buses were operating from the Bagrana depot, while services from the Todi depot were expected to commence subsequently.
Bus Depots and Charging Infrastructure Under Development
The expansion of the electric bus fleet also requires substantial investment in supporting infrastructure. Discussions therefore covered the development of bus depots, charging stations, electrical connections and other operational facilities.
According to the information shared in the reports:
Depots have been established at Bagrana, Todi Mor and Sanganer in Jaipur. Land has been allocated for additional depots at Ralawata near Goner, Khatwada on Ajmer Road and Achrol on Delhi Road.
More than ₹60 crore has been approved by the Centre for charging facilities and associated electrical infrastructure. Over ₹53 crore has been approved for civil infrastructure at bus depots.
The state government is also processing the acquisition of 450 additional electric buses and 50 double-decker electric buses under the 2025-26 Budget announcement. These measures are intended to strengthen public transport capacity while supporting the transition towards cleaner urban mobility.
Urban Local Bodies Prepare 100-Day Action Plans
Urban development and civic infrastructure also featured prominently in the discussions. Srinivas informed Central government officials that all urban local bodies in Rajasthan had prepared 100-day action plans in accordance with the directions of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. The plans seek to improve the delivery of essential civic services through time-bound interventions, with priority areas including:
Sanitation and cleanliness.
Road development and maintenance.
Installation and upkeep of streetlights.
Improvement of other basic civic amenities.
The initiative is intended to make urban local bodies more accountable for delivering visible improvements in public infrastructure and municipal services.
Jaipur’s ‘Rang De Gulabi’ Initiative Gets a Mention
The Chief Secretary also highlighted the Jaipur Municipal Corporation’s public participation initiative, ‘Rang De Gulabi’, which focuses on improving the city’s appearance through wall painting and urban beautification.
Under the second phase of the programme, 617 walls across 150 municipal wards have been identified and covered as part of the beautification effort. The initiative aims to improve public spaces while encouraging community participation in maintaining Jaipur’s distinctive visual identity.
DoPT Meeting Covers Personnel and Administrative Matters
During his Delhi visit, Srinivas also met Rachna Shah (IAS: 1991: Kerala), Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), on Tuesday. The meeting focused on personnel-related and administrative matters concerning the state. He also attended a Diwali dinner organised for IAS officers of the Rajasthan cadre.
Overall, the 19 meetings held during the two-day visit provided an opportunity to take up pending matters with Central ministries, review the progress of major infrastructure initiatives and strengthen coordination between Rajasthan and the Union government.
The discussions underscored the state’s focus on accelerating metro expansion, improving urban mobility, expanding electric bus services and upgrading civic infrastructure.
