New Delhi, 16 May (H.S.):

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has described the national capital’s inclusion in the top exemplary category in the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2025 Index as a matter of pride. She said the achievement is the result of the Delhi government’s continuous efforts to strengthen logistics infrastructure, improve multimodal connectivity, enhance ease of doing business and promote technology-driven governance. The LEADS 2025 report was released on May 13.

The Chief Minister said on Saturday that the LEADS Index evaluates states and Union Territories on key parameters such as logistics infrastructure, logistics services, regulatory framework, digital integration, sustainability and stakeholder perception. Under the index, states and Union Territories are placed in four categories — Exemplary, High Performers, Accelerators and Growth Seekers — with Exemplary being the highest category. Delhi has steadily advanced, moving beyond the ‘Achiever’ category in LEADS 2023 and 2024 to secure the top position in the country this year.

Gupta said the Delhi government has prepared a city logistics plan under the PM Gati Shakti scheme, which has already been approved and will be notified soon. The plan will make urban freight movement, last-mile delivery systems and urban freight management more systematic. Out of the 46 mandatory layers on the PM Gati Shakti portal, 38 have already been successfully integrated, while 317 additional layers have also been added. This has strengthened coordinated infrastructure planning and project execution across departments.

The Chief Minister said Delhi has simplified and expedited the process of approvals and permissions related to logistics and industrial investment through a single-window system. At the same time, an API-based real-time monitoring and data exchange facility has been developed through the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), improving coordination among various logistics stakeholders.

Under the pothole-free road campaign run by the Public Works Department, major improvements have been made to Delhi’s main and internal roads. In addition, the operation of the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Namo Bharat corridor has strengthened passenger and freight connectivity between Delhi and surrounding areas.

Gupta said the Phase-IV expansion of the Delhi Metro, including the Dwarka Expressway link, has given fresh momentum to multimodal urban transport in the capital. Important economic corridors such as the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway are also being developed, strengthening freight movement and regional connectivity. Delhi’s performance in the use of digital systems and technology-based governance has been better than the national and Union Territory average.

The Chief Minister said the Delhi government is in the process of finalising the Warehousing and Logistics Policy 2025. The policy aims to reduce congestion in freight movement, remove regulatory complexities and address gaps in logistics infrastructure.

She said the Solar Policy is being used to promote the adoption of renewable energy in logistics and warehousing infrastructure. At the same time, the expansion of DTC and the DEVI bus service is being used to strengthen public transport and reduce pressure on road traffic and freight movement.

She added that the Delhi Industrial Policy is helping create a favourable environment for logistics investment and employment generation. In addition, under the DMRC Metro-Cargo pilot project in 2025, in partnership with Blue Dart, parcel transport through the metro was started during non-peak hours, which will reduce dependence on roads and ease pressure on road corridors.

Gupta said the Delhi government is paying special attention to the development of skilled human resources. Through the policies of the Delhi Khadi and Village Industries Board (DKVIB), micro and artisan-based industries are being linked with the logistics network. At the same time, training and skill development in the logistics sector is being promoted through institutions such as the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU), IRILMM and Transglobe Academy.

Delhi’s performance in terms of skilled human resource availability has also been better than the average of Union Territories, helping the capital emerge as a major logistics human capital hub in the country.

The Chief Minister said Delhi has performed better than the national and Union Territory average across all major parameters in LEADS 2025, including logistics infrastructure, logistics services, operations and regulatory systems, and sustainability and equity. Delhi received strong marks in roads, rail, airports, digital systems, warehousing and cold storage. Its performance in transport services, terminal services and skilled human resources was also better than the national average. Delhi also performed exceptionally well in interstate freight movement ease and policy reforms. However, the need to further strengthen the grievance redressal mechanism has also been identified, and the government will work seriously on this.

She said increasing women’s participation in green warehousing and the logistics sector is among the Delhi government’s future priorities. The government is now working towards developing organised transport hubs in the capital, so that unregulated roadside loading can be reduced and freight movement can become more systematic. It is also working to increase the use of the metro rail network for light freight transport during night and non-peak hours, so that pressure on road corridors can be reduced.

Gupta said productivity and efficiency will be improved by promoting mechanisation, automation and digital integration in air cargo terminals. In addition, multimodal logistics hubs connected to metro and RRTS stations will be developed, where electric bus feeder services will also be provided for first- and last-mile connectivity.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar