Delhi Pollution: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday held a review meeting to accelerate work to curb the deteriorating air pollution in the city. Backed by short-term plans, the Delhi CM emphasised that there should be round-the-clock work for the next 12 months.
The meeting, held at the Delhi Secretariat, was attended by several key officials in the Delhi government, such as ministers, the chief secretary, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi Traffic Police, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Public Works Department (PWD), the environment, industry, and transport department officials.
Here’s What Delhi Govt Plans To Do In 4 Years To Curb Pollution
Overhaul Public Transport To Reduce Reliance On Private
- The Delhi government is planning to introduce a massive bus fleet to reduce the reliance on private vehicles on the road. The Transport Department aims to deploy 14000 buses in phased manner in the next four years.
- 6,000 by December 31, 2026; 7,500 by December 31, 2027; 10,400 by March 31, 2028; and the full 14,000 by March 31, 2029. With five hundred seven metre buses, the fleet aims to improve last-mile connectivity.
Through a pilot project, the govt intoduce e-autos, bike taxis, and feeder cabs at 10 key metro stations by January 31, 2026.
Introduction Of Two-Wheelera And Commercial Fleet EVs
- The new EV Policy 2.0 mainly focuses on Delhi's 58 lakh two-wheelers.
Owners will get subsidies and extra money if they scrap old vehicles.
- The city will increase public charging and battery swapping points from 9,000 to 36,000.
- Commercial trucks and three-wheelers will get help with lower interest on loans, plus support from the central PM E-Drive scheme.
- To reduce traffic jams, the government is working on 62 major trouble spots. Work has already started on 30 of them. Also, DTC has given 1,200 of its staff to help the traffic police manage roads better.
Road Repair And Dust Control
- Dust from roads and other sources is one of the key drivers of Delhi’s worsening air. The government aims to address 3,300 km of dilapidated roads with a budget of 6 thousand crores. The work includes paving of edges and central verges, greening, and underground utility ducts to prevent repeated digging- all targeted for completion in one year.
- Of the total distance, 800 km comes under PWD, 1,200 km under MCD, and 1,000 km in unauthorised colonies.
- Dust control ramps up with 76 mechanical road sweeping machines (MRSM) already deployed by MCD, NDMC, DSIIDC, and NHAI. MCD will deploy more MRSM by the end of the month, while PWD is expected to introduce more litter pickers, dust dumpers, and water tankers.
Waste Management And Curbing Factory Pollution
- MCD will clear the big landfills in these times: Okhla by July 2026, Bhalswa by October 2026, and Ghazipur by December 2027.
- The Delhi government is giving Rs 500 crore this year and Rs 300 crore every year for better waste handling.
- More than 1,000 dirty factories have been shut down. Big factories now have to fix special machines (OCEMS) that watch and report smoke and pollution all the time.
Improving Green Areas And Reducing Crop Waste Burn
- In the next 4 years, Delhi plans to plant 35 lakh trees in the Delhi Ridge area. This year alone, 14 lakh trees will be planted.
- 365 acres of old unused land will be turned into beautiful parks.
- A new plant in Tukhram will process garden waste and construction dust properly.
- To stop people from burning trash in winter, the government has given out 15,500 free electric heaters.
Better Parking
- To solve parking problems, the government will create no-parking zones, improve roadside parking rules, use smart parking charges, and build multi-level parking in busy markets. This will help reduce the number of private cars on the roads.
- Special cameras (ANPR) will be put at city entry points to catch and fine vehicles that cause too much pollution. A big campaign will run for this.