CM Rekha Gupta unveils Delhi’s air pollution mitigation plan for 2026 | India News
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday unveiled the Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan 2026, announcing a series of measures including strict enforcement of “no PUC, no fuel” rules, a ban on polluting vehicles and a push for clean transport and dust control.Announcing the plan’s rollout, Gupta said the initiative builds on the government’s ‘historic’ green budget for 2026-27 and aims to translate clean air targets into measurable results.The action plan, announced after a high-level review meeting held at the Chief Minister’s Jan Seva Sadan, targets key sources of pollution such as vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activities, industrial emissions and biomass burning, officials said.Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said clean air and environment protection are now at the heart of the government’s policy framework and will be supported by dedicated budgetary allocation and strict enforcement.“This is not just a policy announcement, it is an enforcement-driven campaign driven by resources, technology and strict oversight,” he said.Taking a tough stand on vehicular pollution, Gupta said the “No PUC (Controlled Pollution), No Fuel” rule will be strictly enforced with the support of automatic number plate detection cameras and digital tracking systems.From November 1, the entry of goods vehicles into the national capital will be restricted to those conforming to Bharat Stage (BS)-VI norms or run on CNG or electricity, officials said.The government will also control non-essential traffic inflows and may consider suspended office hours, work-from-home instructions and additional restrictions on polluting vehicles during periods of severe air pollution, they added.As part of efforts to reduce vehicular emissions, the government plans to expand the city’s bus fleet to 13,760 by 2028-29, giving priority to electric buses.Officials also said the government plans to improve last-mile connectivity through better integration of metro and regional rapid transit system (RRTS) networks with feeder buses, e-auto and shared mobility services.To accelerate electric mobility, 32,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be installed over the next four years, while the proposed EV policy 2026 will focus on two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and conversion of the government fleet to cleaner fuels, they said.The Chief Minister also announced measures to decongest 62 identified hotspots through timed intervention and introduction of an intelligent traffic management system besides smart parking solutions and pricing reforms.Recognizing road dust as a major contributor to pollution, the government said it would deploy mechanical road sweepers, water sprinklers, anti-mog guns and mist spray systems on a large scale, with all operations monitored through GPS tracking and a centralized dashboard.About 3,500 km of roads will be resurfaced with paved surfaces, green buffers and utility conduits, while construction-related pollution will be monitored through an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled C&D Portal 2.0 for real-time tracking, geo-tagging and enforcement, officials said.The government has set deadlines for clearing legacy landfill sites such as Okhla by July 2026, Valswa by December 2026 and Gazipur by December 2027 and said strict action would be taken against biomass burning and non-compliant industrial units.The city’s air quality monitoring network will be expanded, and a centralized green war room and integrated command and control center will be set up to strengthen environmental governance, they added.Ward-level “airguard” teams will also be deployed and the 311 platform will be upgraded to improve citizen reporting and participation, they said.The government has set a target of planting 70 lakh trees, shrubs and bamboos in 2026-27, with a long-term target of planting over one crore trees across the city.Gupta said the action plan will also rely on innovation and public participation, involving research institutes, technical experts and startups in developing solutions to curb pollution.“Action Plan 2026 is not just about intentions; it is a strong operational model with financial support, strict deadlines and accountability at every level. Clean air is not a luxury; it is a basic right, and we are committed to providing it,” he said.The meeting was attended by Cabinet Ministers Prabesh Sahib Singh, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Pankaj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, representatives of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Traffic Police and senior government officials, officials said.
