Govt launches innovation challenge to tackle air pollution in Delhi, showcases dust mitigation tech

In a major push for tech-driven solutions to Delhi’s air pollution crisis, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday announced an open innovation challenge, inviting startups and individuals to design rooftop pollution-curbing devices for moving vehicles such as buses and trucks.

The challenge, he said, reflected the Delhi Government’s belief that “innovation was the solution to pollution”. “It is innovation that will kill pollution,” Sirsa said at a press briefing, outlining plans to involve citizens and innovators in the city’s environmental efforts.

A scientific panel will evaluate submissions based on efficacy, cost-efficiency and energy use. Promising ideas may receive seed funding, and those shortlisted could be scaled citywide through tenders.

The minister said the initiative aimed to transform transportation — often blamed for contributing to Delhi’s air woes — into a solution. “Our aim is to not just reduce pollution but also boost industrial innovation in the process,”

he said.

Alongside the announcement, the government demonstrated new electric dust mitigation vehicles outside Delhi Secretariat, including a mechanical road sweeper, a mobile litter suction unit and a water jetting vehicle. All operate on lithium-ion batteries and offer multi-functional cleaning for varied terrains.

“These are not just machines — they represent a new approach,” Sirsa said, adding that previous governments had relied on failed ideas and publicity, while the current administration was delivering real results on the ground.

Sirsa also reviewed the city’s anti-smog guns and sprinklers, assessing their impact on PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels. “Our fight against pollution is rooted in technology, speed and seriousness,” he said.

The initiative aligns with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s vision of sustainable, tech-led urban governance under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.