NEW DELHI, May 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated a major reduction in the size of his official convoy as part of a broader push towards austerity and fuel conservation, official sources said on Tuesday.
The revised arrangement was implemented during the prime minister’s recent visits to Gujarat and Assam following his address at a BJP rally in Hyderabad. Sources indicated that the changes were carried out without compromising mandatory security requirements laid down under Special Protection Group (SPG) guidelines.
Officials also revealed that Modi has encouraged the inclusion of electric vehicles in the convoy wherever feasible, while avoiding additional expenditure on new vehicle purchases.
During his speech in Hyderabad on Sunday, the prime minister stressed the need for responsible energy consumption in view of the ongoing instability in West Asia. He urged citizens to minimise dependence on petrol and diesel, prefer metro rail and public transport systems, adopt carpooling, and increase the use of electric mobility.
Modi also suggested greater reliance on railway networks for parcel transportation and encouraged work-from-home practices wherever possible to help reduce fuel imports and conserve foreign exchange reserves.