“Ambulance in Delhi should reach before pizza” -- with this message, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday flagged off 11 Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances in the national capital, officials said.

The chief minister also said that hundreds more are in the pipeline, with the fleet expected to touch 53 by October and then eventually scale up to 1,000.

Gupta on Thursday also unveiled some key healthcare initiatives, including special schemes under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), an organ transplant awareness portal, and the inauguration of a District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC).

“Today, 11 ambulances have been launched. By October, the number will reach 53, and we are working to take the total strength to 1,000 to ensure every resident has timely access to emergency medical services,” she said.

Emphasising the government’s focus on strengthening healthcare delivery, the chief minister said, “We want an ambulance to reach a patient even before a pizza is delivered in Delhi.”

Alongside the ambulance rollout, the government launched new measures under the NTEP aimed at accelerating tuberculosis elimination in the city, besides introducing a dedicated portal to raise awareness about organ donation and transplantation.

The DEIC is expected to provide early screening, diagnosis, and intervention services for children with developmental delays and disabilities, officials said.

Gupta inaugurated an automated multilevel puzzle car parking facility at Punjabi Bagh cremation ground, saying that her government’s focus in its first year is on upgrading the national capital’s basic infrastructure.

Gupta said Delhi has been facing issues with roads, flyovers, schools, hospitals, malls, and parking for the past 27 years, and these need to be repaired and improved to make life easier for people. “We witness many fights in the city because of parking issues. In such a situation, the establishment of this automated multilevel car parking is a big achievement. Such facilities are required across markets and colonies,” she said at the inauguration.

The chief minister said she has directed officials and ministers to build 100 such parking facilities in the city within one-and-a-half years, including tendering time.

CM said the government is fully prepared to tackle pollution as the Centre has given nod to cloud seeding operations in the city.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted permission to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to conduct cloud seeding operations in Delhi during October and November this year, officials had said on Wednesday.

“We are fully geared to fight pollution. The government is making all possible efforts to protect people from pollution,” Gupta said when asked about the cloud seeding operations during an event at Chandni Chowk.

The AAP slammed the BJP led Delhi government over the cloud seeding operations, saying they were opposed to it while in opposition.

“The Arvind Kejriwal government had multiple times approached the Centre for permission to conduct cloud seeding operations in Delhi, but at that time the central government showed step-motherly treatment and did not give permission,” AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

He also said the BJP used to poke fun by saying, “cloud seeding is not possible”.

“I want to ask them if it was not possible then and was a waste of money, how is it feasible now. I also want to ask them if they would criticise the cracker ban imposed by the Supreme Court now?,” he added.

“Kapil Mishra, who is now a minister in the Delhi government, used to say that he would burst crackers. I want to ask them what they will do it now. The people of Delhi are seeing the difference between the words and actions of the BJP,” he said.