Pollution in New Delhi: Understanding the Causes and Challenges of an Indian Megacity
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New Delhi, the capital of India, is part of a much larger urban area: along with Gurgaon and Noida, the “National Capital Region” is home to more than 25 million people, making it one of the world’s largest megacities and now surpasses Mumbai in both population and economic clout. As a result, this Indian megacity ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, making it an ideal case study for exploring in the classroom the links between urbanization, mobility, energy, and air quality.
© PRAKASH SINGH / AFP - The traffic jams created by automobiles, rickshaws and two-wheelers in New Delhi are a daily source of frustration.
Delhi and New Delhi: A Metropolis Built in Layers of History
The distinction between Delhi and New Delhi, which has faded in everyday language, is a historical legacy. Delhi is the old city built by the Mughal dynasties in the 17th century, with its “Red Fort,” its Grand Mosque, and its labyrinthine network of alleys crammed with dilapidated buildings. Virtually unchanged, it forms the tourist heart of the capital.
New Delhi is the new city designed in the early 20th century by the British Empire following its decision to move the capital from its former location in Calcutta. Laid out in a grid pattern around the Presidential Palace and the Rajpath axis, its avenues are very wide, lined with villas (called “bungalows”) and gardens. Apart from a few large buildings around Connaught Place, New Delhi’s urban layout has remained largely unchanged and symbolizes India’s political .
Modern expansion has taken place in two entirely new urban areas: Gurgaon, to the southwest, which grew out of a village, and Noida, to the southeast, which was built from scratch—its very name is an acronym. Without any real urban planning, they bring together ultra-modern skyscrapers, shopping malls, the headquarters of all the major corporations, and apartment complexes to house India’s rapidly growing middle class. The rest of the belt surrounding Delhi has been overwhelmed by a heterogeneous mosaic of luxury residences, residential developments, and makeshift settlements—the jhuggi-jhopri—occupied by migrants from the countryside or workers who have come with their families to work on construction sites.
Air Pollution Among the Highest in the World
New Delhi ranks among the world’s most polluted cities and remains one of the capitals’ most exposed to air pollution. Several factors contribute to this, including sandstorms from the arid plains of Rajasthan, the practice of stubble burning in the surrounding countryside, the proximity of several coal-fired power plants, and the widespread use of by low-income residents for heating and cooking. But the main cause is traffic, which has skyrocketed in the Indian metropolis. Four million cars and trucks are registered in Delhi, twice as many as in 2000. If we include motorcycles and the famous three-wheeled rickshaws, there are around 12 million motor vehicles on the roads in the Indian capital. During rush hour, it takes nearly two hours to travel the 30-kilometer distance between downtown New Delhi and Gurgaon.
As a result, the Indian capital has high levels of fine particulate matter—that is, particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers (μm) in diameter. Concentrations of PM2.5 regularly far exceed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended levels, particularly during winter smog episodes, when they can reach several dozen times the recommended threshold.
Reducing Pollution: Clean Transportation, Energy, and the Limits of Renewables
The authorities have, however, taken action. They have required tens of thousands of buses and rickshaws to switch to compressed natural gas. Truck traffic has been restricted to nighttime hours. Alternate-day driving schemes are being tested. Most thermal power plants have been relocated. A metro system was (belatedly) installed starting in 2002, and its network, though still sparse, is being expanded. The Indian government has set the goal of massively expanding electric vehicles by 2030, even though widespread adoption remains a challenge.
The fundamental solution for the country as a whole lies in the development of to reduce dependence on coal and fuel oil for generation.
But this policy is difficult to implement in the capital region. The high cost of land—and, in many cases, its speculative nature, which has been a source of much of India’s wealth—hinders the development of solar and wind farms. Rooftop installations are taking off very slowly, due to the cost of retrofitting existing homes and the lack of a public subsidy policy. Furthermore, the extremely hot climate in New Delhi frequently leads to spikes in electricity consumption, which are not well suited to the intermittent nature of solar power. Residents and businesses cope with frequent power outages by using generators.
Toward More Sustainable Indian Cities: The National “Smart Cities” Strategy
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has already profoundly transformed the in his home state of Gujarat, the Indian government has adopted a comprehensive approach to urban development that takes into account economic and social needs as well as the principles of good governance. It has effectively pitted Indian cities against one another in a sort of grand urban planning competition by setting criteria they must all meet simultaneously: a minimum of 10% solar power, a commitment to social diversity, sustainable financing, citizen participation, modern management practices, and at least one “smart” solution (traffic management system, , etc.). About a hundred of the most innovative cities should be supported to form a strategic network, particularly along the 1,500 km corridor separating New Delhi from Mumbai (Bombay).
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