Pollution hotspots: Trials of 22 innovative technologies soon

The Delhi government is set to begin on-ground trials of 22 innovative pollution-control technologies as part of the next phase of its Innovation Challenge aimed at combating air pollution in the national capital. The selected devices will be deployed in the coming weeks at major pollution hotspots across the city to assess their effectiveness in reducing particulate matter and improving overall air quality.

The initiative, launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, seeks to identify practical and scalable technological solutions that can help address Delhi’s long-standing air pollution problem. The shortlisted technologies will be installed at different locations across the city, where their performance will be scientifically monitored and evaluated.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa chaired a review meeting to assess preparations for the trial phase. The meeting focused on finalizing testing protocols, ensuring device readiness, and coordinating deployment plans with innovators. Officials were directed to conduct the trials in a transparent and scientifically rigorous manner so that authorities can quickly determine which technologies are most suitable for large-scale implementation in the capital.

The Innovation Challenge attracted strong participation from across the country, with a total of 284 entries submitted. After a detailed evaluation by an expert technical committee, 22 technologies were shortlisted for the trial phase.

Among these, 13 solutions are designed to reduce emissions from vehicles. These include vehicle-mounted air purifiers, retrofit emission-control systems, bio-alkaline exhaust scrubbers, and other retrofit technologies developed for buses, trucks, and generator sets.