In a renewed push to tackle air pollution head-on, Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta on Monday inaugurated six new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) and rolled out the 'Vayu Rakshak' initiative, deploying 100 dedicated personnel for on-ground enforcement. The move signals the Delhi Government’s intent to combine real-time data with visible action, ensuring that pollution control remains a priority throughout the year, not just during peak smog season.
The programme, held at the Delhi Secretariat, was attended by Environment Minister Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa along with senior officials from the Environment Department, underscoring the administration’s coordinated approach to one of the capital’s most pressing challenges.
Expansion Of The Air Monitoring Network
The six newly added monitoring stations were inaugurated online at key locations across the city: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), SPMSPC Talkatora Garden, Commonwealth Sports Complex, Delhi Cantonment, and NSUT (West Campus).
With these additions, Delhi’s CAAQMS network has grown to 46 stations, the largest air quality monitoring system in any Indian city. Of these, 30 stations are managed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), 10 by the India Meteorological Department and IITM, and six by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The government has also announced plans to install 14 more stations in the near future, further widening the city’s monitoring net.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister stressed that air pollution is not a seasonal problem but a continuous one. She reiterated the government’s commitment to sustained monitoring, strong policy interventions, and firm enforcement, calling clean and breathable air a fundamental responsibility of the state.
Emphasis On Data Transparency And Policy-making
Transparency, the Chief Minister noted, remains central to Delhi’s pollution strategy. Air quality data is openly available to the public, with PM10 and PM2.5 levels updated every hour and other parameters refreshed every five minutes. This steady flow of information, she said, supports evidence-based policymaking and keeps citizens informed.
She also highlighted progress in the transport sector, pointing out that the Delhi Transport Corporation currently operates nearly 4,000 electric buses, the highest number in the country. The government aims to expand this fleet to 14,000 clean-fuel buses by 2028. Alongside this, initiatives such as landfill remediation, waste-to-energy projects, mechanical road sweeping, mist spraying, dust control measures, and the expansion of green cover are being pursued to address pollution from multiple fronts.
'Vayu Rakshak': Enforcement Alongside Monitoring
While data tells the story of air quality, enforcement ensures action on the ground. Environment Minister Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa emphasised that monitoring alone is not enough without strict implementation. The deployment of 100 ‘Vayu Rakshaks’, he said, is designed to bridge that gap by ensuring pollution control measures are followed at the local level.
He also revealed that staffing shortages within the DPCC are being addressed. Of the 233 vacant posts identified in 2024, 157 have been filled over the past 11 months, significantly boosting enforcement capacity. Pollution control efforts, he added, are now being carried out simultaneously across sectors, from vehicle emissions and construction activity to road dust management and plantation drives.
Under the expanded initiative, 100 Vayu Rakshaks will work closely with the DPCC on pollution control tasks, while an additional 600, in coordination with the Delhi Police, are monitoring traffic-related and emission violations.