The Delhi government has cleared a tender for installing six new air quality monitoring stations at a total cost of nearly Rs 9 crore and applied for NOCs for the artificial rain project.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the tenders for these monitoring stations have been approved and the setup work will begin soon.
“Now that the tender process is complete, these stations will be installed in the coming months,” he told PTI.
Each station is expected to cost around Rs 1.5 crore, taking the total expenditure to nearly Rs 9 crore. With this addition, the number of air quality monitoring stations in the capital will rise to 46.
To boost the city’s air quality surveillance, the Delhi government, in its 2025-26 budget, announced the installation of six new air quality monitoring stations at key locations, including JNU, IGNOU, and Delhi Cantonment.
Meanwhile, providing an update on the artificial rain project, Sirsa said the government is committed to ensuring more clean air days during the winter season and is actively working to reduce pollution levels.
The environment department has applied for No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and is currently receiving queries from various departments, including the Ministry of Defence, regarding the proposal.
The government needs NOCs from 13 key departments, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Ministry of Defence, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and others for the trial to proceed.
Sirsa added that a trial for artificial rain is likely to be conducted in June, coinciding with the onset of the monsoon, in Outer Delhi areas, possibly toward the Delhi–Sonepat border.
Earlier, officials told PTI that the government plans to conduct five cloud-seeding trials, each involving aircraft operations lasting between one to one-and-a-half hours. These trials will be carried out on separate days and may take place in quick succession, depending on weather conditions.
“If suitable weather is observed, we may conduct all five trials within a week or with gaps of a day or two. The schedule will depend on cloud availability,” an official said.
IIT Kanpur is overseeing the entire project -- from planning to execution -- and will select trial sites based on scientific and logistical parameters.
The Delhi Cabinet approved the Rs 3.21 crore project on May 7, with Rs 2.75 crore allocated for the trials at Rs 55 lakh per trial.
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