As the year passes by, there remains a set of stories that unpacked issues of consequence in the capital. From power plays to civic issues, these stories reveal detailed realities beneath the surface. Often lost in front-page headlines, certain topics needed more clarity, context and commentary for the readers to ponder upon. Governance, law and politics intersect with everyday lives, the effect of which isn’t felt until all the voices are put together. The year past was no different—be it decaying public spaces in the city or politics around Chhath Puja, air pollution or BJP’s return to power in the capital—these stories shaped the cityscape.
Delhi’s gamble to breathe easier
Delhi’s tryst with smog is long and fraught. For decades, policy debates, citizen protests and scientific warnings have circled the same sad truth: as winter deepens, the city turns into a haze chamber. To give residents some respite, the Delhi government carried out a cloud seeding trial this year, which is the technique of altering clouds to make rains and tackle the city’s worsening air pollution. However, the attempt—the first in 53 years—was “not completely successful” due to the lack of moisture in the air. Cloud seeding is done by firing small particles, usually silver iodide, into clouds to produce rain. The technique is used around the world, but experts doubt its efficacy as a long-term pollution control measure.
A man & a land named Bharat
Twin villages on the Delhi border, Nangal Thakran and Dariyapur Kalan, recalled the legacy of Manoj Kumar, not just as a luminary of Indian cinema but also as a man who once walked their fields, shared their meals and captured their spirit in his film ‘Upkar’. This Cityscape section brought vignettes from the remote agricultural community as it mourned the actor. Locals claimed the film put their villages “on the map”; others admitted that, for years, they hardly realised the deep cultural impact Upkar had on India. It was only later, when school books mentioned the Green Revolution and Doordarshan screened the film on Independence Day, that they truly recognised their brush with history.
How is the drill, SIR?
Covering over 47 lakh voters across the districts of Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls became a headache for most residents. Whether they are the migrants or the residents living in high-rise societies, senior citizens or first-time voters—all of them reported problems in completing the verification process. As the confusion persisted, many voters struggled to find required documents and BLOs grappled with tight deadlines. Administrative officers claimed that the intersection of massive migrant populations, inadequate help infrastructure, and strict paperwork requirements made the situation unusually challenging in these two districts.
Parents, Schools and the age-of-six Anxiety
In Delhi’s classrooms, a quiet but defining shift is underway. Beginning in the academic year 2026-27, a lower kindergarten will be introduced in schools, followed by upper KG in 2027–28, and finally in 2028–29, the children will enter Class I only at the age of six, marking full implementation of the National Education Policy 2020’s foundational stage framework. The move, which effectively adds an extra preparatory year before formal schooling, is being hailed by educationists and school principals as a long-overdue reform aligning India’s system with global early childhood standards. But not everyone is convinced. Critics argued that the reform adds an unnecessary layer of schooling.
Smoke sentiment contention
Somewhere between joy and judgment over the right to celebrate the festival of lights, the city battled worsening smog, fading sentiments and cultural nostalgia. After five years of bans and bitter debates, the Supreme Court on October 15 fuelled a spark allowing the use of “green” firecrackers under strict rules, short time slots, and the promise of environmental safety. With the air quality index hitting a new high every day, the decision landed when the city was already gasping for breath. Critics argued that it is a “legalised relapse”, a dangerous indulgence in the name of culture. Environmental lawyer Aakash Vashishtha criticised the top court’s move. “The SC has failed to gauge the issue’s gravity.”