NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has begun installing six new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) to strengthen the Capital’s scientific pollution-tracking network. The stations, being set up through the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), are part of a composite project covering supply, installation, commissioning and long-term operation and maintenance. All six units are expected to be operational by January 15.
The new stations are coming up at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the ISRO Earth Station near Malcha Mahal, Delhi Cantonment, the Commonwealth Sports Complex, and Netaji Subhash University of Technology (West Campus). The locations cover major institutional and residential zones across South, Central and South West Delhi, offering a more representative picture of city-wide air quality.
Each CAAQMS will house advanced analysers for continuous monitoring of key pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, sulphur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NO, NO2, NOx), ammonia (NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene). The stations will also include a full meteorological system measuring wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall and solar radiation to better understand pollution movement and dispersion patterns.
The equipment will operate round the clock, recording data at short intervals and validating it as per national and international protocols.
The information will feed into daily, weekly and monthly reports, capturing averages, peaks and other indicators useful for public advisories and policy decisions. Environment Minister MS Sirsa said the expanded network would significantly improve the government’s ability to track sources and trends in real time.
“By expanding our high-quality monitoring network, Delhi is building a stronger safety net and moving towards cleaner air through evidence-based decisions,” he said. The stations will be integrated into the existing digital platforms of the DPCC and the CPCB.