Delhi to Install 6 New Air Quality Monitoring Stations by January 15 — Experts Question Location Choice

New Delhi:
By January 15, Delhi will see the installation of six new air quality monitoring stations, significantly expanding the city’s real-time pollution tracking network. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has already begun work, which includes supply, installation, commissioning, and 10-year operation of the stations.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the new stations will “greatly enhance the capital’s monitoring capacity.” He added that real-time data from these locations will help authorities understand pollution patterns across different regions and identify specific sources more accurately, enabling faster and more targeted action.

Where the Stations Are Being Installed
The new stations are coming up at:

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
• Near Malcha Mahal (ISRO Earth Station)
• Delhi Cantonment
• Commonwealth Sports Complex
• Netaji Subhas University of Technology (West Campus)

These locations cover key institutional and residential areas across South, Central, and South-West Delhi.

Advanced Technology for Precise Monitoring
Each station will be equipped with state-of-the-art analyzers capable of monitoring:
PM2.5, PM10, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Ammonia, Carbon Monoxide, Ozone, and BTEX compounds.
They will also record detailed meteorological data including wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall, and solar radiation.

Why the Controversy?
While the DPCC, CPCB, and IMD follow uniform standards, experts have raised concerns over the choice of locations. All six upcoming stations are being installed in green zones.

At present, out of Delhi’s 40 operational monitoring stations:

• 10 are in industrial areas
• 7 in green zones
• 8 in residential areas
• Remaining at traffic intersections and commercial locations

With the addition of the new stations, green zone monitors will increase from 7 to 13 — nearly doubling — while residential areas will still have only eight stations.

Experts argue this could distort city-wide pollution averages, as green areas naturally show lower pollution levels. They also point out that several of the new locations already have existing monitoring stations nearby, raising questions about the distribution strategy.