‘We want greenery’: Delhi govt drops Nehru Park air purifier plan as people prefer trees | Latest News Delhi

Published on: Aug 03, 2025 07:40 am IST

The survey — for which 221 responses were received — had four options to choose from. It revealed that a majority of voters — 84 (38.01%) — suggested they wanted more trees in the park.

The Delhi government has scrapped its plan of installing outdoor air purifiers at Nehru Park in south Delhi’s Chanakyapuri, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday, after a survey concluded that a majority of the visitors to the park wanted more trees for enhancing the air quality in the area.

The project aimed to install over 150 outdoor air purifiers. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

In June, the government announced a pilot project to create a “clean air zone” in Nehru Park by installing 150 outdoor air purifiers inside. Subsequently, a survey was launched and responses were collected on July 19 and 20 by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and visitors were asked if they think air purifiers should be installed.

The survey — for which 221 responses were received — had four options to choose from. It revealed that a majority of voters — 84 (38.01%) — suggested they wanted more trees in the park. HT has seen the report.

While 75 (33.93%) opted “Yes, any day”, 33 (14.93%) said they wanted air purifiers at “low maintenance and low cost”. A total of 29 visitors (13.12%) chose “No” as their preferred option.

“We are no longer installing outdoor air purifiers at Nehru Park. We wanted at least 80% of visitors to vote in favour of this plan, but only around 50% want it,” Sirsa said.

Previously, the minister had said if the pilot project at Nehru Park improves the air quality in the area, they will expand the initiative at busy markets to take the air quality within permissible limits, even in winter months when the pollution level in the Capital is high. The project aimed to install over 150 outdoor air purifiers, each around nine-feet tall and likely to cover an area of 600sqm. Officials said each machine would cost around ₹5 lakh.

Further, it was supposed to be carried out through a corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnership with private firm Umeandus, which has tested the technology at four locations, including Anand Vihar, at a petrol pump in Jangpura, New Moti Bagh and outside the Taj Ambassador hotel.

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