CM Rekha Gupta announces ‘Clean Air, Healthy Delhi’ project with World Bank

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Friday that the government is set to launch a Rs 8,300 crore, seven-year ‘Clean Air, Healthy Delhi’ project to tackle air pollution with support from the World Bank and other multilateral institutions.

She said the Environment Department’s ambitious Rs 8,300 crore project aims to accelerate the implementation of Delhi’s air pollution mitigation plan, advance the objectives of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and contribute to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.

The Chief Minister said a special workshop will be held on July 10 to finalise preparations for the programme and strengthen coordination among all stakeholders.

The workshop will define the roles of various departments and agencies and discuss the roadmap for the effective and timely implementation of the project, said an official statement.

She said the initiative will be implemented across all districts of Delhi from September 2026 to August 2033. The project has an estimated cost of Rs 8,300 crore, of which the World Bank will provide 65 per cent financial assistance, while the remaining 35 per cent will be borne by the Delhi Government.

CM Rekha Gupta said the project will focus on key sectors such as transport, road dust, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, solid waste management, industry, green spaces and water pollution.

She said the initiative is not merely a pollution control programme but a long-term investment aimed at providing Delhi residents with cleaner air, better public health and a more sustainable urban environment.

The Chief Minister said the project has been built around two key pillars. The first focuses on strengthening air quality management in Delhi.

As part of this, a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) will be established for effective implementation.

The project will develop modern air quality monitoring systems, data analytics capabilities and an Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC)-based monitoring system.

Better coordination among various departments will also be ensured; pollution control efforts will be undertaken in collaboration with the Indo-Gangetic Plain states; and scientific planning, public awareness, training, and the adoption of new technologies and innovations will be promoted.

The second pillar focuses on reducing emissions from major sources of pollution. Under this, older and more polluting vehicles will be phased out, electric vehicles will be promoted, public transport will be further strengthened, and an advanced Pollution Under Control (PUC) monitoring system will be developed to monitor vehicular emissions.

According to the Chief Minister, all major departments and agencies of the Delhi Government will work together to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

These include the Environment Department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Transport Department, Public Works Department (PWD), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Delhi Transco Limited (DTL), Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), Delhi Traffic Police, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB), DSIIDC, DTIDC, DIMTS and other related institutions, said the statement.

The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Government of India and the World Bank will also be key partners in the project, it said.

–IANS

rch/uk