The Delhi government will begin on-ground trials of 22 anti-pollution technologies, shortlisted from 284 proposals submitted under its Innovation Challenge. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa
on Tuesday announced that the shortlisted innovative devices are being readied for on-ground trial runs across key pollution hotspots in Delhi in the coming weeks.
Sirsa on Tuesday chaired a review meeting on the next steps of the Innovation Challenge and directed officials to ensure that the trials are “scientifically robust, transparent and geared towards quick decision‑making on what works best for the National Capital.”
“Out of the total 284 entries received from across the country in the Innovation Challenge, 22 devices have progressed to the trial‑run stage on the recommendation of the expert technical committee. These include 13 solutions focused on controlling vehicular pollution, such as vehicle‑mounted air purifiers, retrofit emission‑control systems, bio‑alkaline exhaust scrubbers and other retrofit technologies for buses, trucks and gensets,” the statement added.
The remaining nine devices target ambient air, including modular and stationary air‑purification systems, dust‑suppression units, smog‑control technologies and other solutions designed for open spaces, road corridors and industrial or construction zones.
The Innovation Challenge was aimed at finding real, measurable solutions that can cut pollution on the ground, Sirsa said.
“As these 22 devices go into trial at some of Delhi’s most affected sites, our only benchmark will be evidence: which technologies deliver clear, consistent reductions in pollution and can be scaled up quickly,” he added.
As the trial phase begins, the Environment Department and DPCC will closely track performance data from all deployed devices, with periodic reviews at the ministerial level. The outcomes of these trials will inform the final selection of winning solutions and the roadmap for their integration into Delhi’s broader clean‑air strategy.
