Delhi has a new government and chief minister. In its manifesto, the winning party promised a Delhi Clean Air Mission that would halve the average AQI by 2030. Air pollution — a perennial problem — is one of the biggest public health challenges for India, resulting in loss of investments, GDP, and lower productivity. In 2013, Beijing’s average PM2.5 (the key pollutant) was around 100 µg/m³, but today the annual average stands slightly below 40 µg/m³, which incidentally is the National Ambient Air Quality Standard in India. In contrast, Delhi’s annual average PM2.5 was a “poor” 102 µg/m³ in 2024. Although estimates vary, a significant share of the city’s pollution originates within — Delhi can lower PM2.5 levels to at least a “moderate” level of 80 µg/m³ by 2028 by taking action on priority.
Attributing air pollution to the sources that cause it is not an exact science. Despite the unceasing interest in the capital’s air quality, assessments of sources remain dated, sporadic, and seasonal to authoritatively state the exact contribution from each. However, that does not justify inaction within the city — we have sufficient data to identify the main culprits. Transport, biomass and solid-fuel burning, waste burning and dust contribute year-round. Industrial units outside Delhi’s borders add to the burden. In winter, external sources such as stubble burning compound the problem. Our synthesis of existing studies and reasonable assumptions to fill in data gaps provides the basis for this targeted action plan to improve the city’s air in three years.
First, reduce and clean up private vehicles on the road and increase the supply of public transit services. Transport accounts for about half the share of air pollution attributed to sources within the city, with personal vehicles accounting for 60% of it. While the shift to BS-VI has already put transport emissions on a downward trajectory, the continued plying of end-of-life (EoL) vehicles (diesel over 10 years, petrol over 15) originating within and outside Delhi adds to the emissions burden. Further, only 2% (4W) and 7% (2W) of new sales in Delhi are EVs. The city should mandate 30% EV sales for personal vehicles by 2026 and 50% by 2027. EoL phase-out through automated number plate recognition must be strictly enforced while giving sufficient notice to those impacted.
Further, Delhi will see a 20% rise in on-road vehicles by 2030, resulting in more congestion, and rising exhaust and non-exhaust emissions. So, the city must go beyond just electrification. Reduce private vehicle use by implementing zonal access pricing and cracking down on rampant on-street parking. Bus services must be augmented to meet the benchmark of 60 buses per lakh population (currently at 33 in Delhi). However, public transit will only work with improved last-mile connectivity and walking infrastructure. All these measures can provide at least a 33% reduction in PM2.5 contribution from the transport sector — and a drop of 9 µg/m³ around the year.
Second, address open sources of burning in the city and promote domestic clean fuel use. To curb open waste burning, authorities should map dumping and burning sites through field surveys or data from public grievance systems and establish a punitive mechanism. Bulk waste generators (malls, schools, hotels) produce 30-40% of Delhi NCR’s waste and must be incentivised to carry out in-situ organic waste management and material recovery. Additionally, Delhi’s new government should accelerate the bioremediation of the three major landfill sites on mission mode, and allow no new waste to make its way there.
To curb winter biomass burning for warmth, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and trade associations, with top-up financial resources from the city administration, must provide heaters and protective workwear to night workers and guards. Delhi urgently needs more homeless shelters to provide winter relief and reduce open biomass burning.
In 2025, enrolment in the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana must be made easier in the Delhi-NCR by lowering enrollment barriers, especially for those residing in non-notified bastis and jhuggi-jhopri colonies, and vagrant populations. By 2026, clean fuels — LPG and electricity — must be the sole source of cooking energy, aided by restrictions on firewood sales and behaviour change campaigns. Targeted subsidies to ensure clean fuel use in winter will also be needed. A 60% reduction in emissions from waste and biomass burning in public spaces and solid fuel usage in homes can lead to a drop of around 6 µg/m³ year-round.
Third, ensure compliance at construction sites and control road dust. Existing regulations on construction and demolition mandate monitoring of air quality but lack clarity on technology, placement of monitors, and use of data for compliance. In 2025, a detailed air quality monitoring protocol should be rolled out for construction sites larger than 500 sq.m. Committing to a dust mitigation schedule as a part of a construction project plan should be mandated for project approval by MCD. The dust pollution control self-assessment portal administered by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee should be updated with an alert system to drive enforcement. Authorities could consider having an earnest money deposit for project proponents, which would be encashed if projects are found to violate dust mitigation schedules.
Additionally, each year, the government allocates a substantial budget for mechanised sweepers, water sprinklers, and anti-smog guns. In 2025, these resources must be repurposed to ensure kerb-to-kerb black-topping of unpaved roads. A division within PWD must be created to coordinate approvals and see through the completion of all civil works involving road infrastructure. A 50% reduction in construction and road dust within Delhi would lead to a 3 µg/m³ drop in PM2.5 levels.
Finally, reduce stubble burning by at least 50% in Punjab and Haryana (leading to a drop of 14 µg/m³ on average during the burning period and up to 40 µg/m³ at peak). To avoid “severe” winter peaks in Delhi from mid-October to mid-November, it is imperative that we focus on reducing stubble burning. Farmers need viable alternatives, not just penalties. In 2025, revise paddy procurement norms to align with the yield of short-duration rice varieties like PR-126, which reduces stubble burning since it matures early. Further, rental efficiencies for straw management machines must be improved through user-friendly machine booking systems and standardised rental rates. For ex-situ management, setting a benchmark price for selling crop residue, based on moisture content and calorific value, will ensure farmers receive viable payments. By 2027, crop residue management should be integrated into Voluntary Carbon Markets to attract private investment to offset operational costs and incentivise zero-burn practices.
We must treat Delhi’s air like a patient in a multi-speciality hospital; it needs coordinated interventions across sectors and high-quality data to assess progress. The patient needs emergency care during winter but also sustained treatment throughout the year. Within three years, we can avoid “severe” air quality days, and by 2030, we can all breathe substantially cleaner air, boosting our life expectancy and livelihoods. This is not the time for despair but for concerted action—by the State, markets, and citizens.
Arunabha Ghosh is CEO and Karthik Ganesan is fellow and director (strategic partnerships), at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). Co-authored with Abhishek Kar, senior programme lead, CEEW. The views expressed are personal
