No key PM2.5 reduction targets in Noida’s air pollution action plan in contrast to Ghaziabad, Greater Noida

The gap between the plans extends beyond pollution targets to transport and infrastructure planning. Greater Noida’s action plan includes quarterly targets for expanding EV charging infrastructure, and battery swapping stations. Both Noida and Greater Noida’s plans make no provision for a currently operating electric bus fleet, nor do they propose introducing one, even as Delhi runs a fleet of over 4,000 electric buses.

Monitoring infrastructure also differs sharply. Greater Noida has acknowledged a shortfall in air quality monitoring and committed to increasing its Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) from two to four by June 2026. Noida, despite having a larger road network of over 1,143 km compared to Greater Noida’s 875 km, states that its existing four CAAQMS and four manual stations are sufficient and proposes no expansion.

On road dust, a major contributor to particulate pollution, Greater Noida’s plan lays out that of its 875 km road network, 612 km are in good condition, while 263 km are classified as poor and in need of redevelopment. Repairing these stretches, the plan estimates, would require an investment of Rs. 993 crore which would translate to roughly Rs 3.77 crore per kilometre.

Noida’s action plan, by contrast, states that 176 km of roads need repair, for which it has pegged the cost at Rs 370 crore. This works out to about Rs 2.1 crore per kilometre, highlighting a significant difference in the projected per-kilometre cost of road repairs between two neighbouring territories.

The plan has also drawn criticism for failing to address garbage burning. Activist Amit Gupta, who has written to CAQM and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) seeking a revision of the city’s plan, told The Indian Express that RTI data shows around 1,400 incidents of garbage burning have been reported in Noida and Greater Noida over the past two years.

“Yet the action plan contains no detailed strategy, roadmap, or monitoring mechanism to prevent garbage burning. This omission is particularly serious given its direct contribution to PM2.5 levels,” he said. He also flagged the lack of transparency in the utilisation of the Rs 56 crore allocated to Noida under the National Clean Air Programme.

Noida Authority officials told The Indian Express, “We only propose targets and measures to CAQM. The final approval and release of the action plan rests with CAQM.”

Ghaziabad, which was the most polluted city in January according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), has set an aim of reducing PM10 levels by 20 per cent and PM2.5 levels by 14 per cent. It has identified road dust as a major contributor and mapped over 460 km of roads requiring redevelopment to reduce dust resuspension.

The plan quantifies gaps in mechanical road sweepers, anti-smog guns, and handheld vacuum units, citing a lack of funds. It has also recognised repeated road digging by utility agencies as a pollution source. The plan further quantifies the city’s public transport deficit — it has about 50 buses against a projected requirement of over 1,100, which is targeted to be reached by 2030. In the coming months, Ghaziabad aims to increase CAAQM stations from three to five.