Delhi Clean Air Program

pipeline

The proposed operation is part of the World Bank-financed Regional Air Quality Management (AQM) Program in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills (IGP-HF) region, which supports Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan in institutional strengthening, emissions reduction, and regional knowledge exchange, forming the foundation of airshed management across the region. In India, the IGP covers around 18 percent of the country's land area and nearly 40 percent of its population, where rapid urbanization and economic growth have driven substantial emissions from transport, industry, road dust, and construction activities, making it a global air pollution hotspot. The Program aligns with India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), India's Nationally Determined Contribution commitments, and interstate airshed directives from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).The CAQM estimated the source contributions through a meta-analysis of emissions inventory studies from 2015 to 2025 that were available for Delhi or data shared by a panel of experts convened by CAQM in Identification of the causes for worsening AQI in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas, January 2026 (CAQM, 2026). Delhi has implemented one of India’s most comprehensive air pollution control programs, combining policy reforms, enforcement measures, infrastructure investments, and sectoral interventions. The government’s commitment is reflected in the Delhi Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan (DAPMP) 2026 and the allocation of a Green Budget of US$2.4 billion (21.44% of total Government of National Capital of Delhi (GNCTD) budget for FY 2026-27) for mainstreaming environmental considerations in government planning and expenditure. However, the complexity of managing emissions across sectors and jurisdictions—particularly given the transboundary nature of sources and evolving meteorological influences—requires strengthened coordination, implementation consistency, and evidence-based decision-making.DCAP is proposed to be structured as a Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach (MPA) over seven years, supporting the GNCTD with successive financing operations to manage the complexity of cross-sector interventions and build sustained air quality management systems. The phased approach enables sequencing—from immediate emission reduction actions to longer-term investments and structural reforms—while incorporating learning and scaling across phases. Phase 1 of the Program would focus on: (i) short- to medium-term actions to reduce air pollution in major sources of PM2.5 emissions; and (ii) development of a long-term AQM plan and its corresponding institutional framework. Subsequent phases are expected to scale and deepen these interventions and expand support to additional sectors and strengthen policy frameworks based on emerging evidence and priorities for sustained air quality improvements. DCAP Phase 1 would finance a Program for Results (PforR) combined with technical assistance to support GNCTD’s multi-sector effort across four results areas (RAs): 1) Strengthening AQM Planning and Coordination: Global experience demonstrates that a robust AQM framework is crucial to achieving sustained, measurable clean air improvements. Delhi has established an extensive policy and regulatory foundation, as well as a dense air quality monitoring network, which provide a strong platform for further consolidation. Opportunities remain to strengthen multi-sector planning, improve data quality and integration, develop more effective policies and financing instruments, update emissions inventories, and enhance monitoring, enforcement, and inter-agency coordination for enhanced implementation and enforcement of clean air initiatives. A well-designed and sustained communications and behaviour change strategy can also strengthen public awareness, encourage behavioural shifts, and foster broader stakeholder engagement. The first phase would support the GNCTD: (i) develop and start implementing a medium-term Delhi Air Pollution Management Plan (DAPMP) 2027-2031, including defined targets, budget, governance framework and M&E systems; (ii) set up the institutional arrangements of DAPMP, and (iii) design and deploy a strategic communications plan.2) Reducing Emissions from Transport: Transport plays a significant and complex role in Delhi NCR's air quality crisis, acting as a major year-round contributor to pollution. Transport emissions account for an estimated 19–23% of primary PM2.5 concentrations and 81% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in Delhi (CAQM 2026) which is a precursor of secondary particulate matter contributing to PM2.5. Rapid and sustained growth in the vehicle fleet, coupled with significant daily traffic inflows from neighbouring NCR cities—including a high share of heavy-duty diesel vehicles (trucks and buses) that contribute disproportionately to particulate matter emissions—has intensified the problem. This is further exacerbated by the prevalence of older and poorly maintained vehicles with weak emission controls, resulting in real-world emissions that often exceed certified standards. Systematic solutions to decouple growth in transport demand from emissions, while transitioning towards cleaner vehicles, could significantly reduce transport emissions. While electrification presents a major opportunity for emission reduction, the pace of transition is constrained by gaps in charging infrastructure, including inadequate charger density, uneven spatial distribution of charging stations, limited charging options for commercial and heavy-duty vehicles, and challenges related to land availability and grid connectivity. The first phase interventions for transport sector would focus on strengthening enforcement systems, enabling conditions for scaled transition to cleaner and public transport. Key activities would include (i) enhancing enforcement mechanisms to limit entry and operation of high emitting (pre-BS VI vehicles) and end-of-life vehicles; (ii) accelerating implementation of Delhi’s upcoming EV Policy 2.0 and rollout of charging infrastructure; (iii) strengthening the electric bus (e-bus) ecosystem through bus service optimization and depot infrastructure readiness; (iv) creating an inter-agency coordination mechanism for integrated planning and delivery of mobility services in the city.3) Reducing Emissions from Road Dust: Road dust is recognized as a major contributor to particulate pollution, particularly in dense urban environments with extensive road networks and ongoing construction activity. Emissions from soil, road and C&D dust within Delhi NCR and beyond account for 15% to 27% of primary PM2.5 concentration in Delhi in winter and summer, respectively (CAQM 2026). Delhi's road network spans an estimated 16,040 lane-km, is managed across multiple agencies with distinct mandates - including the Public Works Department (PWD), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), as well as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and 9 other agencies. This distributed structure requires strengthened coordination across agencies for minimizing dust generation from repeated construction activity on same streets and effective implementation of dust control measures. There is an opportunity to expand vacuum sweeping with close performance monitoring across greater share of Delhi’s road network, while strengthening coordinated planning and asset management across agencies to reduce repeated excavation and improve road conditions.The first phase interventions for road dust management would focus on: (i) strengthening performance of mechanized sweeping and other dust control measures on high-pollution corridors; and (ii) establishing cross-agency protocol and institutional mechanisms for integrated planning and delivery of overall road improvements (un