New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta chaired a high-level review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday to assess and accelerate the implementation of the Environment Action Plan 2025–26. The meeting, attended by senior officials from the Environment Department, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), and other agencies, focused on curbing vehicular and construction-related pollution while introducing new green mobility initiatives.
Addressing the media after the meeting, CM Gupta said, “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Delhi government has ramped up efforts to reduce
air pollution and initiated necessary preparations to ensure a cleaner capital.” She affirmed that pollution control would be pursued through coordinated, technology-driven, and enforceable strategies.
Major anti-pollution measures announced
To tackle dust pollution, the government will keep 1,000 water sprinklers and 140 mobile anti-smog guns deployed across the city throughout the year, except during the monsoon season. High-rise
buildings will be mandated to install rooftop sprinklers, and construction sites will be required to use water-sprinkling mechanisms.
In a key directive targeting vehicular emissions, CM Gupta revealed that “495 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at petrol pumps, with plans to extend them to border entry points.” These cameras will detect end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) attempting to operate or enter Delhi. “If any ELVs enters Delhi, the owner will receive an instant SMS alert,” she said, adding that variable signboards at borders would also display live ELV counts. SMS alerts will also be sent to owners of such vehicles from neighbouring states.
CM Gupta emphasised strict enforcement at Pollution Under Control (PUC) centres, directing that all centres be audited. “Any centre found issuing false certificates will face heavy fines,” she warned.
Construction and demolition sites under scrutiny
The Delhi government has made it mandatory for all construction and demolition (C\&D) sites larger than 500 sq mtr to register on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) portal. Even smaller sites between 200 and 500 sq mtr must now follow strict dust control norms. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been tasked with enforcement.
“This will ensure compliance with air pollution control norms at both large and medium-scale construction sites,” said the Chief Minister.
E-Rickshaw push for green mobility
To promote eco-friendly transport and last-mile connectivity, the government will deploy 2,300 e-rickshaws at metro stations across Delhi. “Of these, 700 will be operated by women,” said CM Gupta, underlining the dual goal of green mobility and women’s empowerment.
Artificial rain trial, AI tools in pipeline
In a pioneering step, a trial for Artificial Rain will soon be conducted in Delhi, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) set to be signed with IIT Kanpur.
Delhi Cabinet minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also shared details of new technological tools being integrated into pollution control efforts. “An AI-enabled beta version 2 of the DPCC portal will enable direct online issuance of challans to polluting entities,” he said. He also confirmed that vehicles used for dust suppression would be GPS-enabled for real-time monitoring.
CM Rekha Gupta concluded, “Our commitment to fighting air pollution goes beyond announcements, results-driven actions and permanent changes are the real priority.”