New Delhi [India], April 14 : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday paid floral tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar on his birth anniversary and inaugurated Water ATMs in Shalimar Bagh, emphasising the government's commitment to ensuring basic amenities and dignity for all citizens.
Speaking to the media, Gupta said, "Baba Saheb is the strong pillar of India, on which this strong edifice of Indian democracy stands today. If our country, with a population of 140 crore, is able to function today, it is because of the strong foundation of democracy... We too are continuously working for the last person on the bottom line of this society in Delhi, the most backward, who lack access to facilities. Every day, we formulate policies that enable every person in the entire city to live a life of dignity."
The Chief Minister further welcomed the inauguration of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "On Baba Saheb's birth anniversary, the Prime Minister has gifted this state-of-the-art expressway to Delhi. Through this, a journey of 6.5 hours has been reduced to just 2.5 hours. This truly strengthens our transport system and our roadways, and Delhi will always be very grateful to the Prime Minister," Gupta said.
Marking the occasion, Gupta also inaugurated Water ATMs in GP Block and Beriwala Bagh Block of Shalimar Bagh Assembly constituency. According to the Chief Minister's Office, the Chief Minister said that the initiative aims to provide clean drinking water to residents in line with Ambedkar's vision of ensuring basic amenities as a right for every citizen.
The Chief Minister informed that seven Water ATMs have been installed across wards 55, 56, and 57. Each unit is capable of supplying 2,000 litres of purified water per hour and uses a five-stage RO purification system effective up to 3000 TDS, said the CMO. The system includes 24x7 monitoring and will provide up to 20 litres of drinking water per person per day through Water ATM cards.
Dr BR Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and a key figure in India's social reform movement. Born into a Dalit Mahar family, he dedicated his life to securing equal rights for marginalised communities and promoting social justice.
Ambedkar served as independent India's first Law and Justice Minister and was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1990 for his contributions to the nation.