The Union Environment Minister reviewed Delhi’s Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan with the Delhi Chief Minister. The meeting focused on measures required before and during the winter pollution season. The strategy focuses on vehicular emissions, road and construction dust, waste burning, industrial pollution, public transport and pollution hotspots, along with greater public participation.

Why in the News?

Delhi’s winter pollution management requires action across several sources and locations. The latest review focuses on preparations before the winter season and greater coordination between Delhi and other parts of the National Capital Region.

  • 37 identified hotspots will have Jan Bhagidari events by October 10.
  • Action plans for NCR areas are to be finalised before October 10.
  • Greater coordination is planned among Delhi and other NCR States.
  • The government stressed coordinated enforcement and citizen participation.

Hotspot Action Plan

Pollution hotspots require focused measures because local traffic, dust, waste, and other activities can contribute to poor air quality. The plan includes both infrastructure measures and local participation to address these issues.

  • 42 hotspots have already been rectified.
  • 8 more hotspots are targeted for action by October.
  • One-way traffic and decongestion measures will be tested at selected hotspots.
  • Citizens will be encouraged to report:
    • Encroachments
    • Illegal parking
    • Dumping points
  • 8 road stretches have already been made signal-free.
  • The remaining 7 stretches are targeted for completion by October 2026.

‘No PUCC, No Fuel’

Vehicle emissions are one of the sources covered under the winter pollution strategy. The campaign links fuel access with compliance requirements related to vehicle pollution certificates.

  • The ‘No PUCC, No Fuel’ campaign will be implemented across Delhi.
  • It will cover 500 ANPR-enabled fuel stations.
  • Action will be taken against non-compliant fuel pumps.
  • The measure aims to improve compliance with Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) requirements.

Public Transport and Last-Mile Connectivity

Public transport can reduce dependence on individual vehicles when people have convenient options for daily travel. The measures focus on awareness as well as connectivity between public transport points and final destinations.

  • A campaign will promote the Delhi Metro Sarthi App during October 1–10.
  • Last-mile connectivity is available at all 228 Metro stations.
  • Delhi’s bus fleet has reached 6,840, including 5,088 e-buses.
  • The focus is on increasing the use of public transport.

Road Dust and Construction Pollution

Road dust and construction activities are important areas of focus in the winter pollution plan. Measures include road redevelopment, paving, and restrictions on activities that can generate dust during the pollution season.

  • 1,193 km of roads have already been completed under road redevelopment.
  • The remaining work is targeted for completion by November 15.
  • End-to-end paving of footpaths will help to reduce road dust.
  • A ban on dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil construction activities will apply from November 1 to January 31.
  • A complete ban on construction and demolition activities will apply from December 10 to January 20.

Prevent Open Waste Burning

Open waste burning can add pollutants to the local environment, particularly when waste is burned in residential, market and other areas. The plan therefore includes stronger monitoring and enforcement at the ward and city levels.

  • Zero-burning measures will be strengthened.
  • Ward-level monitoring and market waste collection will be improved.
  • Enforcement of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 will be strengthened.
  • MRSMs have increased from 76 to 98.
  • Dedicated monitoring teams will be deployed by October 15.
  • A city-wide ‘Zero Burning’ campaign will also be conducted.

Focus on Greening

Green areas can contribute to the broader environmental management of the city. The focus is now also on maintaining plantations and ensuring that identified areas remain green over time.

  • Delhi has reported 71 lakh plantations.
  • 433 out of 434 acres of identified brown areas have been greened.
  • The focus is on improving plantation survival and increasing green cover.

Winter Protocol

The winter protocol brings together measures targeting different sources of pollution during the period when air quality concerns are generally more significant. The restrictions listed below are planned for implementation during the winter season.

  • Restrictions on polluting vehicles.
  • Doubled parking charges.
  • Staggered office timings.
  • 50% work-from-home arrangements.
  • Restrictions on entry of vehicles registered outside Delhi and below BS-VI emission standards.
  • These vehicle restrictions will apply from November 1, 2026.
  • CNG and EVs will be exempted.

EVs and Parivartan Yojana

The promotion of electric vehicles and vehicle scrapping is part of the transport-related measures in the pollution control plan. The Parivartan Yojana also focuses on registration and public participation.

  • EV Policy 2026 will be promoted.
  • Incentives for scrapping old vehicles will be increased.
  • A mission-mode registration drive will be conducted under the Parivartan Scheme.
  • Jan Bhagidari Camps will be organised during October-November.

Industrial Pollution

Industrial units are another area covered by the winter pollution strategy. The plan combines monitoring technology, enforcement teams and pollution monitoring stations to strengthen oversight.

  • Industrial pollution enforcement will be strengthened.
  • An AI-enabled Command and Control Centre will be operationalised.
  • Monitoring stations will increase from 47 to 60.
  • 334 enforcement teams will be deployed.
  • Strict action will be taken against non-conforming polluting industries.
  • Daily AQI bulletins, grievance redressal, and NCR-level coordination will also be strengthened.

Public Participation

Pollution control also depends on local participation because many pollution-related activities take place at the neighbourhood level. Jan Bhagidari provides a way for citizens to report violations and support local pollution control measures. Jan Bhagidari is an important part of the pollution-control strategy. Citizens will be encouraged to participate in:

  • Reporting violations
  • Monitoring local hotspots
  • Preventing waste burning
  • Supporting public transport
  • Promoting cleaner practices

Conclusion

Delhi winter air pollution strategy focuses on vehicular emissions, dust, waste burning, industrial pollution, and public transport. Important measures include ‘No PUCC, No Fuel’, hotspot management, construction restrictions, EV promotion, greening, and stronger industrial monitoring. Effective implementation and NCR-level coordination will be important for reducing pollution from different sources.