Cloud seeding trails held successfully, artificial rain expected on Oct 28–30

Delhi has taken a giant leap in its fight against air pollution with the successful completion of its first-ever cloud seeding trial flight, paving way for artificial rain operations between October 28 and 30.

The flight, conducted jointly by the Delhi Government’s Environment Department and IIT-Kanpur, tested the readiness of aircraft, seeding flares, and coordination between all participating agencies before full-scale deployment.

The operation was carried out from the IIT-Kanpur airstrip along the Kanpur-Meerut-Khekra-Burari-Sadakpur-Bhojpur-Aligarh-Kanpur route.

Flares were successfully fired between Khekra and Burari using advanced pyro techniques, ensuring the operational capability of aircraft and seeding equipment.

The mission lasted around four hours, and included rigorous evaluation of aircraft performance, equipment endurance, and safety protocols.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who is leading the initiative, said: “I would like to thank Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for her leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his blessings, because of which all permissions for this novel effort were timely available. Today’s flight was a success in every technical parameter. We have now completed all required trials including flare tests, fitment checks, and coordination protocols.”

He added: “Delhi is ready to witness its first artificial rainfall experiment. All systems — from aircraft to meteorological and environmental monitoring — are in place. Now, the only thing we await is the arrival of suitable clouds, expected around October 29–30, when the actual seeding will be conducted.”

The flight employed the pyro method, in which specially designed flares containing silver iodide and sodium chloride compounds are ignited and dispersed to stimulate condensation and cloud formation. Technical observations reported by pilots and the Windy professional system confirmed that the aircraft and equipment functioned flawlessly despite mostly clear skies, with only minor cloud patches near Burari.