CM Rekha Gupta unveils Delhi air pollution mitigation plan 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 utility board, no fuel’ rule, restrictions on polluting vehicles and promotion of clean transport and dust control.Announcing the plan, Gupta said it builds on the government’s “historic” 2026-27 Green Budget and aims to translate clean air targets into measurable results.The action plan, announced after a high-level review meeting at Mukhyamantri Janseva Sadan, aims to address major sources of pollution such as vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activities, industrial emissions and biomass burning, officials said.Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said clean air and environmental protection are now at the core of the government’s policy framework and will be supported by dedicated budgetary allocations and strict enforcement.“This is more than a policy announcement, it is a law enforcement-driven campaign powered by resources, technology and rigorous oversight,” she said.Taking a tough stance on vehicular pollution, Gupta said the “no PUC (pollution under control), no fuel” rule would be strictly enforced with the support of automatic number plate recognition cameras and digital tracking systems.Officials said that from November 1, trucks entering the national capital will be restricted to vehicles that comply with Bharat Phase (BS)-VI norms or are powered by CNG or electricity.The government will also regulate non-essential traffic inflows and may consider staggered office hours, work-from-home directives and additional restrictions on polluting vehicles during periods of severe air pollution, they added.As part of efforts to reduce vehicle emissions, the government plans to expand the city’s bus fleet to 13,760 buses by 2028-29, with priority given to electric buses.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, electric vehicles and shared mobility services.To accelerate the development of electric vehicles, 32,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be installed in the next four years, while the proposed EV policy 2026 will focus on transitioning two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and government fleets to cleaner fuels, they said.The chief minister also announced measures to ease traffic congestion in 62 hotspots, including time-limited interventions, rollout of smart traffic management systems, smart parking solutions and pricing reforms.Recognizing that road dust is a major contributor to pollution, the government said it would deploy mechanical road sweepers, water trucks, anti-smog guns and spray systems on a large scale, with all operations monitored through GPS tracking and centralized dashboards.Officials said nearly 3,500 kilometers of roads will be redeveloped with paving, green buffer zones and utility pipes, while construction-related pollution will be monitored through an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered C&D Portal 2.0 for real-time tracking, geo-tagging and enforcement.The government has also set deadlines for cleaning up legacy landfills such as 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.They added that the city’s air quality monitoring network will be expanded, a centralized green war room and comprehensive command and control center will be established, and environmental governance will be strengthened.District-level ‘Vayu Rakshak’ teams will also be deployed and the 311 platform will be upgraded to improve citizen reporting and participation, they said.The government has set a target of planting 7 million trees, shrubs and bamboos by 2026-27, with the long-term goal of planting over 10 million hectares of plantations across the city.Gupta said the action plan will also rely on innovation and public participation, involving research institutions, technology experts and start-ups to develop solutions to curb pollution.“The 2026 Action Plan is more than an intention; it is a strong implementation model, with financial support, strict timelines and accountability at all levels. Clean air is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right and we are committed to achieving it,” she said.The meeting was attended by Cabinet ministers Pravesh Sahib Singh, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Pankaj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, representatives of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and traffic police and senior government officials, officials said.