- Prime Minister Modi urged revival of work-from-home practices to reduce travel demand
- He called on metro city residents to use public transport and promote carpooling
- Electric vehicle owners were encouraged to maximize usage amid fuel conservation needs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on Indians to revive pandemic-era work-from-home practices, reduce dependence on petrol and diesel, and defer foreign travel — framing the measures as acts of national duty in the face of the escalating West Asia conflict.
Addressing a gathering in Secunderabad, Telangana, Modi said the global crisis demanded collective sacrifice and a sense of purpose. "We have to make a resolution keeping duty paramount and fulfil it with complete dedication," he said.
On fuel conservation, the Prime Minister urged citizens in metro-connected cities to switch to public transport and encouraged carpooling for those who must drive. He also called on electric vehicle owners to maximise their use of EVs.
Drawing on the institutional memory of the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi said India had already built the infrastructure — and the habits — needed to reduce unnecessary commuting. During the coronavirus period, he noted, India had developed robust systems for remote work, online meetings, and video conferencing. Restarting those systems, he said, would be "in the national interest".
The Prime Minister also made a pointed appeal to the middle class, asking families to postpone overseas weddings, holidays, and leisure travel for at least a year, citing the need to conserve foreign exchange at a time when global energy costs are elevated.
India imports roughly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements, making it acutely vulnerable to price shocks triggered by geopolitical instability in the Middle East.
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