Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday inspected three advanced Made-in-India pollution-control technologies being tested in the capital, as the city government intensified efforts to tackle air pollution through innovation-driven solutions and year-round monitoring.
Accompanied by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the CM reviewed a filter-free roadside air purifier system, an EV-mounted anti-smog gun and a vehicular emission control device installed at different locations in West Delhi. Officials said the pilot projects were aimed at reducing dust, smoke, PM2.5, PM10 and other harmful pollutants in the atmosphere.
During the inspection on Rama Road, Gupta examined the STR-101 filter-free air purifier system, where 21 units have been installed along the central verge on electricity poles. According to officials, the system can purify nearly 3 lakh litres of air every hour and is designed to reduce particulate matter, smoke and harmful gases, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
The CM said pollution control in Delhi cannot remain a seasonal exercise limited to winter months. “The fight against pollution will continue all 365 days of the year,” she said, adding that the government was focusing on scientific research, innovation and indigenous technologies alongside conventional anti-pollution measures.
Officials said the STR-101 system uses high-frequency chip technology to neutralise bacteria and viruses and is equipped with IoT-enabled live monitoring features. The device is self-cleaning, filter-free and requires low maintenance.
Gupta also inspected India’s first EV-mounted anti-smog gun on the Kirti Nagar-Mayapuri stretch. The zero-emission mobile system sprays ultra-fine water droplets to settle dust particles and pollutants in the air. Officials said the system uses real-time PM sensors and IoT-based controls to optimise water and energy use based on prevailing air quality conditions.
Another technology inspected by the CM was the PAWAN III roadside pollution-control device installed near the Kirti Nagar Fire Station. The system has been designed to capture vehicular emissions near their source through a high-capacity suction mechanism before releasing cleaner air back into the environment after multi-stage purification.
According to officials, field trials conducted in Kolhapur, Maharashtra had recorded a nearly 29 per cent reduction in particulate pollution levels using the technology.
CM Gupta said the technologies are among several innovations shortlisted under the Delhi government’s “Innovation Challenge”, in which startups and innovators from across the country presented pollution-control solutions. Experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi evaluated the projects before pilot implementation.
Environment Minister Sirsa said the technologies would continue to be tested over the next two to two-and-a-half months under the supervision of the National Physical Laboratory and the International Centre for Automotive Technology. Those meeting scientific performance standards could later be deployed on a larger scale across the capital.
Officials said the government is simultaneously working on multiple pollution-control measures, including dust suppression, reduction of vehicular emissions, expansion of public transport and plantation drives, as part of a broader strategy to improve Delhi’s air quality.
