Delhi government has been asked to complete several key anti-pollution measures before the winter season, including road dust control works, electric bus procurement planning, traffic decongestion, waste processing upgrades and stronger enforcement against polluting units.
This comes as Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reviewed Delhi-NCR’s air pollution action plan with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and senior officials of the Delhi government on Tuesday, 26 May 2026.
The review focused on the city’s preparedness ahead of winter, when Delhi’s air quality usually worsens due to a combination of local emissions, dust, weather conditions and regional pollution sources.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Yadav stressed the need for faster implementation, stronger coordination between agencies and strict enforcement to bring down pollution levels before winter.
“The coming months are crucial for Delhi’s air quality management. Timely completion of planned interventions, strict enforcement and coordinated action on the ground are essential to protect public health and improve the quality of life for citizens,” Yadav said.
On road dust mitigation, the minister asked the Delhi government to address delays in planning, tendering, work orders and supply-chain issues, and complete pending road redevelopment works by October 2026.
He also called for greening activities along roads by identifying open patches to reduce dust pollution.
He further highlighted that the pending Memorandum of Agreement with the Central Road Research Institute and the School of Planning and Architecture may be finalised by the end of May 2026 to ensure adherence to prescribed road development standards.
The minister also reviewed the deployment of mechanised road sweeping machines and called for a significant increase in their number.
He asked the Delhi government to ensure the deployment of 78 large and medium mechanised road sweeping machines and 1,000 litter pickers by September 2026.
On public transport and electric mobility, Yadav asked the Delhi government to procure more electric buses and bridge the gap through a phase-wise action plan by October 2026.
He also called for faster expansion of public EV charging infrastructure across the city and said EV adoption across the wider NCR region should be incentivised.
The review also underlined the need to strengthen Delhi’s metro network and improve multi-modal last-mile connectivity to encourage wider use of public transport and reduce vehicular emissions.
For end-of-life vehicles, the minister asked authorities to expedite the issuance of No Objection Certificates for transferring such vehicles outside the NCR region.
He also asked for Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to be installed at all border entry points by September 2026 to improve monitoring and enforcement.
Yadav further urged that 15 stretches in Delhi be identified and developed as signal-free corridors by September 2026 to reduce congestion and vehicular idling emissions.
He also asked agencies to identify major pollution hotspots and take targeted action for decongestion and pollution abatement.
On parking infrastructure, the minister called for a stronger push to create new parking facilities and asked the Delhi government to ensure adequate parking facilities by December 2026 as per the approved plan.
Industrial pollution was another major focus of the review.
The minister asked authorities to ensure regular calibration and proper functioning of Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems and Air Pollution Control Devices across industrial units.
He also called for regular inspections, continuous data flow from monitoring systems to the Central Pollution Control Board server and strict enforcement against non-compliant units, including sealing where necessary.
He also called for intensified inspections of industries operating in non-conforming areas and action for relocation, regularisation or closure of such units in line with environmental norms. Enforcement drives against non-compliant diesel generator sets were also directed to be strengthened.
On construction and demolition waste, the minister pointed to an existing processing capacity gap of nearly 1,000 tonnes per day and asked for additional processing facilities to be augmented by December 2026.
He also asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to ensure geotagging of all construction and demolition waste transport vehicles by July 2026.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council were asked to intensify inspections at construction sites and ensure that every active construction site is inspected at least once every month.
On municipal solid waste, Yadav asked the Delhi government to meet legacy waste liquidation targets within committed timelines.
He also called for fresh municipal solid waste processing facilities to be augmented by September 2026 and for firm timelines to commission waste-to-energy plants.
The minister also called for a zero-tolerance policy against open waste burning during winter and asked authorities to deploy adequate enforcement teams to prevent violations.
Resident Welfare Associations were advised to provide heating facilities to workers during winter to discourage open burning.
The review also covered public participation measures. Yadav suggested immediate intensive greening and deep-cleaning campaigns, along with similar drives after the monsoon, to address legacy dust accumulated on roads, drains and rail tracks.
“Air pollution control requires collective responsibility and continuous action at every level. The Centre remains committed to working closely with the Delhi Government and all stakeholders to ensure cleaner air for the people of Delhi,” Yadav said.
He also advised the Delhi government to create task forces comprising political and official representatives to tackle air pollution hotspots in the national capital.
These teams may coordinate with respective agencies and conduct monthly reviews to monitor implementation and accountability.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management, senior officials from the ministry and the Delhi government, and representatives from CPCB, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, NDMC, Delhi Metro, Delhi Police and PWD.
