'Clean Air Zone' Trial To Be Launched In Delhi's Nehru Park

In a step towards exploring science-driven solutions for cleaning Delhi's air, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and PWD Minister and area MLA Parvesh Verma on Sunday visited Nehru Park to review the feasibility of creating a pilot Clean Air Zone.

The Delhi government is evaluating whether the installation of outdoor air purifiers across public parks can create micro-climates of significantly cleaner air, particularly during increased AQI days, said Sirsa.

He said the pilot project is part of a larger exploratory study that could lead to Delhi's first Clean Air Zone, if found viable.

Similar Clean Air Zones could be considered at Connaught Place, Khan Market, and other high-footfall locations. "These would be undertaken via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships to avoid burdening public finances," the minister said.

"We are conducting a study. The technology has shown promise in limited applications, and we want to understand whether it can work across larger green zones like Nehru Park. We aim to ask people if the technology is fit to work or not in their feedback," said Sirsa.

"This is part of a proactive approach - testing innovation before scale, and only where it truly benefits people," he said.

The 85-acre Nehru Park has been identified as a potential pilot site where 150 advanced air purification machines may be installed, subject to further analysis.

These machines, already tested at select locations such as ISBTs and petrol stations, have previously demonstrated a capacity to reduce PM 2.5 levels in localised environments.

Parvesh Verma, PWD Minister who is also the area MLA, underscored the government's commitment to holistic infrastructure and environment upgrades.

"The Delhi Government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, is working tirelessly to transform the capital. I want to thank the Prime Minister for the Rs 1,000 crore aid provided to rebuild, repair and upgrade Delhi's roads and infrastructure," he said.

"Sirsa is constantly on the ground, personally overseeing every development and pollution-control effort. His commitment is unwavering. Together, this government is working day and night to fulfil the PM's dream of a Viksit Delhi," he said.

Senior officials from the Environment Department, NDMC, and PWD accompanied the ministers during the site inspection, which included interaction with morning walkers and joggers to gather feedback.

The study aims to determine whether such technology can consistently lower AQI levels by up to 50 per cent within designated areas and thus enable safer use of public spaces throughout the year.

Each proposed purifier is over 9 feet tall and uses advanced filtration technology to capture harmful PM 2.5 particles. If implemented in the future, these could cover a 400-600 square meter radius and offer year-round relief to walkers, joggers, and children using the park.

However, deployment will depend entirely on the results of this technical and environmental feasibility study currently being conducted, said an official.

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