₹104-crore pilot project, 40 locations: Delhi govt works on new plan to tackle pollution
The project will run for one year initially. Operators have four weeks to install and commission their equipment after site handover.
- Oct 20, 2026,
- Updated Oct 20, 2026 9:07 AM IST
The Delhi government is reportedly involving private companies and startups to address air pollution through a ₹104-crore pilot project. The initiative aims to reduce PM10 and PM2.5 levels by 20% at 40 locations across the city.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is implementing the project, which covers open or semi-enclosed public spaces including Khan Market, Connaught Place and Defence Colony. Each site, ranging from one to 1.5 acres, will be used to test pollution-control technologies. Participating firms must maintain the targeted reduction levels.
The project will run for one year initially, as per the report. Operators have four weeks to install and commission their equipment after site handover. Technical reviews are underway following planning that started last month.
The 40 sites are divided into five categories: marketplaces, commercial business districts and hubs, transportation hubs, tourist destinations, and hospitals and educational institutions. Commercial areas make up 29 sites, or 72.5% of the total, with Central and South Delhi accounting for 19 locations.
Selected sites include Central Park in Connaught Place, India Gate Children’s Park area, Lotus Temple corridor, and ISBTs at Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan. Four hospitals, including G B Pant Hospital and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, are part of the project. The only educational site is near Delhi University’s Arts Faculty, the report added.
DON'T MISS | No petrol or CNG without valid PUC from October 1: Delhi-NCR pollution rules tightened
Three road stretches – Chandni Chowk Main Market Road, Lotus Temple Road and Baba Kharak Singh Marg – will also be targeted. DPCC assessments identified road dust and vehicular emissions as major concerns on these roads.
The pilot focuses on selected public and commercial locations for implementing interventions and assessing their impact, rather than only targeting conventional pollution hotspots.
The project is technology-agnostic, allowing devices like outdoor air purifiers, mist-based scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators. These must be certified by a government laboratory, meet reduction targets and avoid secondary hazards such as ozone emissions or excessive noise.
Sensors will monitor air quality daily under DPCC supervision, and an independent committee will evaluate the interventions’ impact.
The Delhi government is reportedly involving private companies and startups to address air pollution through a ₹104-crore pilot project. The initiative aims to reduce PM10 and PM2.5 levels by 20% at 40 locations across the city.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is implementing the project, which covers open or semi-enclosed public spaces including Khan Market, Connaught Place and Defence Colony. Each site, ranging from one to 1.5 acres, will be used to test pollution-control technologies. Participating firms must maintain the targeted reduction levels.
The project will run for one year initially, as per the report. Operators have four weeks to install and commission their equipment after site handover. Technical reviews are underway following planning that started last month.
The 40 sites are divided into five categories: marketplaces, commercial business districts and hubs, transportation hubs, tourist destinations, and hospitals and educational institutions. Commercial areas make up 29 sites, or 72.5% of the total, with Central and South Delhi accounting for 19 locations.
Selected sites include Central Park in Connaught Place, India Gate Children’s Park area, Lotus Temple corridor, and ISBTs at Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan. Four hospitals, including G B Pant Hospital and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, are part of the project. The only educational site is near Delhi University’s Arts Faculty, the report added.
DON'T MISS | No petrol or CNG without valid PUC from October 1: Delhi-NCR pollution rules tightened
Three road stretches – Chandni Chowk Main Market Road, Lotus Temple Road and Baba Kharak Singh Marg – will also be targeted. DPCC assessments identified road dust and vehicular emissions as major concerns on these roads.
The pilot focuses on selected public and commercial locations for implementing interventions and assessing their impact, rather than only targeting conventional pollution hotspots.
The project is technology-agnostic, allowing devices like outdoor air purifiers, mist-based scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators. These must be certified by a government laboratory, meet reduction targets and avoid secondary hazards such as ozone emissions or excessive noise.
Sensors will monitor air quality daily under DPCC supervision, and an independent committee will evaluate the interventions’ impact.