Delhi approves ₹100 crore plan for 1,000 anti-smog gun trucks

Delhi has approved a ₹100 crore plan to operate 1,000 truck-mounted anti-smog guns during the city’s pollution season over the next three years.

The vehicles are scheduled to spray water on designated Public Works Department roads from September to June each year between 2026 and 2029. They will make multiple rounds daily on allotted routes, with GPS devices and duty logs intended to track operations.

The PWD will hire contractors rather than own the trucks or equipment. The budget includes operational costs such as fuel. Officials are still finalising the daily distance each vehicle will cover and the exact routes; operations are expected to run in two 12-hour shifts.

The programme is aimed at suppressing dust on PWD roads, including arterial stretches, central verges, footpaths and other parts of the road right of way. These roads are more than 18 metres wide and make up about 4% of Delhi’s road network.

PWD already operates about 200 anti-smog guns and has installed 350 mist poles at locations with high traffic and dust pollution. The new vehicles will also carry environmental messages on display panels.