Gurugram rolls out 2026 clean air plan, targets 10% cut in PM levels

Gurugram plans to cut air pollution by 10% by 2026, implementing a multi-phase action plan focusing on public transport and road management.

The Gurugram administration has begun implementing its annual action plan for 2026 aimed at curbing air pollution, said officials, adding that the plan targets at least a 10% reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 levels by 2026 compared to the 2021–2024 average of average of 196 and 96, respectively.

Multi-agency plan based on monitoring station data includes C&D waste reforms, flyovers and smart parking measures. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

The plan finalised in December last year and it will be implemented in multiple phases through short and long-term interventions throughout the year, said officials.

According to officials, the plan was reviewed at a monthly inter-departmental coordination meeting chaired by Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) commissioner Pradeep Dahiya on Friday. Officials from GMDA, MCG, traffic police, HSPCB, HSVP, PWD, NHAI, agriculture department and other agencies attended the meeting.

To be sure, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) data, the district recorded an average air quality index of 301 in January 2026, with air quality remaining in the “very poor” category for 15 days, making it the worst opening stretch in the past four years

Officials said the action plan has been prepared in line with guidelines issued by the central government, the CPCB and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)in CAQM Act in 2021.

Officials said they have identified 33 major traffic congestion hotspots across the city. Short-term and long-term interventions are being rolled out, including signal optimisation, lane management and road infrastructure upgrades. At key junctions linked to national highways, larger infrastructure works such as flyovers and corridor improvements have been proposed.

According to officials, construction and demolition (C&D) waste will also be tackled under the plan, by adding new processing units, promoting the use of recycled construction material, and making its use in government projects mandatory.

To tackle road dust, over 600 km of roads under MCG will be redeveloped or strengthened in phases during 2026–27, said officials.

The city’s integrated traffic management system is also being expanded, said officials. In phase two of the plan, expected to be rolled out in March, 2,722 cameras will be installed at 258 locations using ANPR and automated challan systems. Officials will also assess whether these cameras can support monitoring of sanitation, waterlogging, illegal dumping and potholes.

MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said the action plan is being implemented through inter-agency coordination and will be closely monitored through monthly reports to ensure time-bound outcomes and measurable improvement in air quality.