New Delhi, December 28, 2025:
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Government is preparing a comprehensive, year-round strategy to combat air pollution through science-backed interventions, advanced technology and coordinated governance. As part of this approach, the government is exploring a potential collaboration with IIT Kanpur to develop an Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision support system aimed at data-driven pollution mitigation.
The proposed collaboration seeks to move beyond reactive, seasonal measures and instead enable continuous, evidence-based decision-making through hyperlocal source apportionment, sensor-based monitoring and satellite data. The initiative aims to identify pollution sources at a granular level and ensure that mitigation measures are targeted at the source rather than being based on city-wide averages.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the government is committed to ensuring that Delhi’s fight against air pollution is scientific, sustained and strategic. He stated that decisions will be guided by real-time data, accurate source identification and measurable outcomes, with a focus on accountability and visible improvement in air quality. According to him, every effort must demonstrate a tangible impact on the city’s air and deliver results that citizens can feel.
The Environment Department is set to deliberate on the roadmap for collaboration with IIT Kanpur, including institutional mechanisms and phased implementation. The proposed system is expected to strengthen Delhi’s capacity to monitor, analyse and forecast pollution trends while guiding timely interventions across sectors. A central element of the initiative is dynamic source apportionment, which will scientifically assess contributions from dust, transport, industry, biomass burning and regional factors, enabling precise and timely action.
The government is also planning a ‘whole-of-government’ clean air framework to improve coordination among multiple agencies and National Capital Region districts. The framework envisions municipal bodies, district administrations, enforcement agencies and technical institutions operating on a common data platform with clearly defined roles, responsibilities and accountability mechanisms. The objective, the minister said, is to shift Delhi’s pollution response from firefighting to prevention through faster, sharper and more effective action based on shared scientific evidence.
Alongside planning long-term technological solutions, the Delhi Government continues to intensify on-ground enforcement across four key areas—vehicular emissions, dust control, polluting industries and waste management. Civic agencies are carrying out round-the-clock interventions to curb pollution levels.
In the last 24 hours alone, authorities inspected 250 construction and demolition sites below 500 square metres and 92 sites of 500 square metres and above to ensure compliance with dust control norms. Road dust control measures were scaled up, with 6,291 kilometres of roads swept and 1,694 kilometres sprinkled. A total of 405 anti-smog guns were deployed across the city, and 12,012 metric tonnes of garbage were removed to reduce particulate pollution.
Vehicular pollution enforcement also remained stringent, with 7,023 challans issued for violations related to vehicular emissions. Traffic and transport management measures were stepped up, leading to the diversion of 65 non-destined trucks through the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways and the decongestion of 41 traffic hotspots across the city.
On the waste management front, intensified street-level waste picking and bio-mining operations at landfill sites are processing approximately 35 metric tonnes of legacy waste daily, contributing to the gradual reduction of waste mountains. Closure actions against polluting industries are underway through surveys led by District Magistrates and Divisional Commissioners.
Public grievance redressal mechanisms also remained active, with 58 complaints received through mobile applications and social media platforms resolved within the last 24 hours.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, the Environment Minister said pollution control in Delhi cannot be seasonal and requires a 365-day action framework that integrates technology, governance and enforcement in complete coordination. He emphasised that the government will continue to adopt best-in-class scientific expertise, strengthen institutional capacity and build a robust decision-support framework to ensure cleaner air for Delhi’s residents year after year.
Further details regarding the proposed collaboration with IIT Kanpur and the implementation roadmap are expected to be shared after formal deliberations.
