Delhi announces Rs 8,300-crore clean air plan, World Bank to fund 65% of project

The Delhi government has announced a Rs 8,300 crore, seven-year clean air programme with the World Bank to fund 65 per cent of the initiative. The programme aims to tighten air quality management and cut emissions across major pollution sources.

In Short

• Programme to run from September 2026 until August 2033 across Delhi
• World Bank to fund 65% of project, remaining 35% by Delhi government
• Programme targets emissions from vehicles, dust, waste, industries

The Delhi government on Friday announced a Rs 8,300 crore, seven-year programme to tackle air pollution in the national capital, with the World Bank set to provide 65 per cent of the funding and the city government the remaining 35 per cent.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the project, titled "Clean Air, Healthy Delhi", will run from September 2026 to August 2033. She said it aims to strengthen air quality management and cut emissions from major pollution sources across the city. A special workshop will be held on July 10 to finalise preparations and improve coordination among all stakeholders.

Gupta said the workshop will define the roles of various departments and agencies and discuss the roadmap for the effective and timely implementation of the project. According to her, the programme will speed up Delhi’s air pollution mitigation plan, support the goals of the National Clean Air Programme and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The Environment Department’s project will cover key sectors linked to pollution, including transport, road dust, construction and demolition waste, solid waste management, industries, green spaces and water pollution.

Gupta said the initiative was "not merely a pollution control programme but a long-term investment" aimed at giving Delhi residents cleaner air, better public health and a more sustainable urban environment. She added that the initiative rests on two major pillars: strengthening air quality management and reducing emissions from major pollution sources.

Under the first component, the government will set up a dedicated Project Management Unit, develop advanced air quality monitoring systems, build data analytics capabilities and create an Integrated Command and Control Centre-based monitoring system. The project also plans closer coordination with states in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, scientific planning, public awareness campaigns and the adoption of new technologies.

The second component will focus on cutting emissions by phasing out older polluting vehicles, promoting electric vehicles, strengthening public transport and developing an advanced Pollution Under Control monitoring system for vehicle emissions.

Gupta said the programme will be jointly implemented by the Environment Department, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the Transport Department, the Public Works Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Jal Board, the Delhi Development Authority, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Traffic Police. The Department of Economic Affairs and the World Bank will also be key partners.

Describing clean air as the right of every citizen, Gupta said the project reflects the Delhi government’s commitment to scientific, coordinated and sustainable solutions to improve air quality and public health in the capital.

In sum, the Delhi government’s new programme brings together funding, technology and coordination across departments for a long-term effort to improve air quality, address major sources of pollution and strengthen public health measures in the city.

- Ends