Increasing the number of buses, paving roads that are dust hotspots, elimination of legacy dumpsites, and more EV charging points—these are among the key measures that form part of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram’s (MCG) 2026 action plan to tackle pollution. The plan was shared with the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently.
Under the plan, MCG has aimed for a 10 per cent reduction in key air quality parameters by December 2026. The targets include bringing the annual average AQI down to 178 (from a base average of 198), PM2.5 to 86 µg/m³ (from 96 µg/m³), and PM10 to 176 µg/m³ (from 196 µg/m³), with the base derived from 2021-2024 averages. The plan addresses major pollution sources—vehicular emissions, road dust, construction and demolition (C&D) activities, waste management, industry, and agriculture-related emissions—through coordinated interventions, advanced technologies, public awareness campaigns, and periodic reviews.
To tackle pollution, MCG has also requested Rs 291 crore from CAQM. This comprises Rs 285 crore as a 50 per cent grant towards the projected Rs 570 crore expenditure on road construction and redevelopment activities over the next three years, along with Rs 6 crore for deploying truck-mounted anti-smog guns to contain road dust. Road dust control remains a priority in the plan, with MCG planning to redevelop 611 km of roads in 2026-27 as part of a broader multi-agency target of 726.54 km across the city over three years at an estimated total cost of Rs 1,971 crore.
On vehicular pollution, the plan targets augmentation of the city bus fleet. The district (including Manesar) requires 1,000 buses but currently operates only 150 BS-VI compliant vehicles. To bridge the gap, 200 more buses will be added to the fleet in 2026—100 in March and 100 in September.
The action plan also details setting up 20 EV charging points (10 in Q3, July-September, and 10 in Q4, October-December) and 10 battery swapping stations by December 31 this year. Thirty-three identified congestion hotspots will undergo short-term interventions such as improved traffic management at locations like Gwal Phari and Subhash Chowk, whilst six major junctions on National Highway 48—including Rathiwas T Point and Bilaspur Chowk—require long-term decongestion measures.
MCG stated that the city’s air quality monitoring infrastructure is adequate, with three Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) operational at Vikas Sadan, Sector 51, and Teri Gram on the Gurugram-Faridabad Road.
Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana.
Education
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020)
- B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019)
Professional Experience
Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features.
Reporting Interests
His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon.
Recent Coverage (2025)
- Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025).
- Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025).
- Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025).
- Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram.
- Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025).
- Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025).
Contact
X (Twitter): @AB_Hazardous ... Read More
