New Delhi: The Delhi government has identified 13 locations for the installation of new continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) ahead of the winter of 2026. These sites include Vikaspuri, Mungeshpur, Narela, Burari, Shastri Park, Tikri, and Badarpur, among others.
Grid-Based Placement Strategy
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa explained that the selection of these areas, primarily in outer Delhi, follows a strategic logic: ensuring at least one monitoring station is available within every 5x5 square kilometer grid. The city currently operates 47 such stations.
A report by the Times of India last November highlighted the uneven distribution of monitoring stations across Delhi-NCR. Although the capital boasts the highest number of stations for any city in the country, the southwest and northwest peripheries remain underserved.
Data Coverage Gaps
A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) last year revealed that the existing monitoring network covers only 26% of Delhi's area within a 2-kilometer radius, leaving a 74% data shadow. Within a 5-kilometer radius, coverage improves to 75%, but a 25% shadow persists. This gap disproportionately affects peripheral districts.
Installation Details
Sirsa stated that of the 13 new stations, 10 will be installed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), while the remaining three will be set up by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. DPCC has already issued a tender for the installation. “The stations are expected to become operational before this winter,” Sirsa added.
In consultation with the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body under the Union government, DPCC identified the locations based on the 5x5 grid. The selected sites include:
- Chhawla in southwest Delhi
- Ghogha in north Delhi
- Rohini Sector 33 or Karala village in northwest Delhi
- Vikaspuri in west Delhi
- Burari in north Delhi
- Maidangarhi in south Delhi
- Shastri Park in northeast Delhi
- Narela in north Delhi
- Vasundhara Enclave (two possible sites) in east Delhi
- Badarpur in southeast Delhi
- Jhatikra or Ghummanhera in Najafgarh
- Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi
- Tikri in west Delhi (two possible sites)
An official noted that two optional locations have also been selected: Jharoda Kalan in southwest Delhi and Nangloi in northwest Delhi.
Expert Insights
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasized that expanding the monitoring grid can generate data in peripheral and underserved areas, provide more representative data, and track regional pollutant transport while isolating local pollution sources.
“A denser network can prevent hotspots from skewing the air quality index (AQI). It is crucial to place new monitors in key polluted industrial areas, heavy traffic zones, and hotspots. Resolving data gaps, systemic deficiencies, faulty monitor settings, and artificial data capping during pollution peaks is essential for accurate forecasting and GRAP responses. Focus on data integrity, strict quality control, and operational transparency will enable legally sound targeted enforcement,” Roychowdhury said.
About the Author
Priyangi Agarwal writes on environmental and climate change issues, connecting these topics to everyday lives. She tracks developments across Delhi’s transport hubs—Delhi Metro, Namo Bharat Trains, and Delhi Airport—while reporting on pressing social issues. Her stories blend data analysis with ground-level voices to present human-centered narratives. Previously stationed in western Uttar Pradesh, she focused on minority issues, health, and human rights.
