Gurugram targets 10% cut in air pollution by year-end
Focus on public transport, road dust and traffic congestion
The Gurugram administration has set a target to reduce air pollution levels by at least 10% in the coming months through the implementation of a comprehensive anti-pollution action plan.
The target was announced at the first coordination meeting chaired by Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya. According to data presented at the meeting, the plan aims to cut PM10 and PM2.5 levels by 10% by 2026, compared to the average levels recorded between 2021 and 2024.
The action plan for 2026 has been prepared jointly by various departments to address the city’s worsening air quality. It focuses on key areas such as road dust control, reduction of vehicular emissions, regulation of construction and demolition (C&D) activities and improvement of urban traffic management.
A strategy has been formulated based on data from the city’s three continuous air quality monitoring stations. Strengthening public transport forms a major pillar of the plan, with officials acknowledging that the current fleet of city buses is far below requirement.
Measures proposed include a phased increase in the number of city buses, induction of electric buses, expansion of e-charging infrastructure, setting up of battery-swapping stations, smart parking management and steps to ease traffic congestion to reduce dependence on private vehicles.
Thirty-three major traffic congestion points have been identified, with work already underway at several locations. Short-term measures such as signal optimisation, lane management and minor road upgrades will be complemented by long-term solutions, including flyovers and major infrastructure projects along national highways.
The city generates around 1,500 tonnes of construction and demolition waste daily, while the existing processing capacity is 1,200 tonnes per day. To bridge this gap, the plan proposes new C&D waste processing facilities, promotion of recycled construction materials and mandatory use of processed materials in government projects.
Recognising road dust as a major pollution source, authorities have also proposed redeveloping hundreds of kilometres of roads during 2026-27, including paving broken stretches, strengthening road edges and regular mechanical sweeping and washing.
