Chief Minister Rekha Gupta unveiled Delhi’s air pollution mitigation plan for 2026. india news

CM Rekha Gupta unveils Delhi's air pollution mitigation plan for 2026

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday unveiled the Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan 2026, announcing a slew of measures including strict enforcement of the “no PUC, no fuel” rule, curbing polluting vehicles and emphasis on clean transportation and dust control.Announcing the implementation of the scheme, Gupta said the initiative builds on the government’s ‘historic’ green budget for 2026-27 and aims to translate clean air targets into measurable outcomes.Officials said the action plan announced after a high-level review meeting held at the Chief Minister Janseva Sadan aims to tackle major sources of pollution such as vehicle emissions, road dust, construction activity, industrial discharges and biomass burning.

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Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that clean air and environment protection is now the center 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 backed by resources, technology and strict monitoring,” he said.Taking a tough stance on vehicle pollution, Gupta said the “No PUC (Pollution Under Control, Pollution Under Control), No Fuel” rule will be strictly enforced with the support of automatic number plate recognition cameras and digital tracking systems.Officials said the entry of goods vehicles in the national capital from November 1 will be limited to vehicles conforming to Bharat Stage (BS)-VI norms or running on CNG or electricity.He said the government will also control non-essential traffic flow and may consider staggered office timings, work from home instructions and additional restrictions on polluting vehicles during periods of severe air pollution.As part of efforts to reduce vehicular emissions, the government plans to expand the city bus fleet to 13,760 by 2028-29, with electric buses given priority.Officials further said the government also plans to improve last mile connectivity through better integration of metro and regional rapid transit system (RRTS) networks with feeder buses, e-autos and shared mobility services.He said 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 converting two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and government fleets to clean fuel.The Chief Minister also announced measures to reduce traffic congestion at 62 identified hotspots through timely intervention and rollout of an Intelligent Traffic Management System along with smart parking solutions and pricing reforms.Acknowledging road dust as a major contributor to pollution, the government said it would deploy mechanical road sweepers, water sprinklers, anti-smog guns and haze spray systems on a large scale, with all operations monitored through GPS tracking and a centralized dashboard.Officials said around 3,500 km of roads are to be redeveloped with paved surfaces, green buffers and utility channels, while real-time tracking, geo-tagging and monitoring of construction-related pollution for enforcement will be done through the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled C&D Portal 2.0.The government has also set deadlines to clean up old landfill sites like Okhla by July 2026, Bhalswa by December 2026 and Ghazipur by December 2027, and said strict action will be taken against biomass burning and non-compliant industrial units.He said the city’s air quality monitoring network would be expanded and a centralized green war room and integrated command and control center would be set up to strengthen environmental governance.He said “Vayu Rakshak” teams would also be deployed at the ward level and the 311 platform would be upgraded to improve citizen reporting and participation.The government has set a target of planting 70 lakh trees, shrubs and bamboo in 2026-27, while the long-term target is to plant more than one crore trees across the city.Gupta said the action plan will also depend on innovation and public participation, involving research institutes, technical experts and startups in developing solutions to curb pollution.He said, “Action Plan 2026 is not just about intention; it is a strong execution model with financial support, strict timelines and accountability at every level. Clean air is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right, and we are committed to providing it.”Officials said the meeting was attended by Cabinet ministers Parvesh 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.

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