Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday, 13 July launched Dust Portal 2.0 — a Dust Pollution Control Self-Assessment Web Portal and Mobile Application — marking a significant step in the capital's technology-driven fight against air pollution. Developed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the platform uses artificial intelligence to monitor dust control measures at construction and demolition sites across New Delhi in real time.

What Dust Portal 2.0 Does

The portal integrates GIS mapping, live 360-degree PTZ cameras, PM-10 and PM-2.5 sensors, real-time analytics, and AI-based monitoring to track compliance at construction sites. It accurately maps individual sites and self-assesses five key parameters related to dust control, making enforcement more uniform and transparent.

Project directors gain access to a self-assessment facility, while the system simultaneously strengthens data-driven enforcement. Notably, the portal also identifies the nearest Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) to each construction site, enabling localised air quality analysis. A live demonstration of the system was conducted during the launch event.

Why Dust Pollution Is a Priority

According to Delhi government data, dust from roads, soil, and construction activity accounts for roughly 27 per cent of total air pollution in summer and approximately 15 per cent in winter. The figures are even starker when disaggregated by pollutant: dust contributes 66 per cent of PM-10 emissions and around 38 per cent of PM-2.5 emissions in the capital. Dust Portal 2.0 has been developed specifically to address this outsized share.

This comes amid persistent pressure on Delhi's administration to demonstrate measurable progress on air quality — a perennial concern that intensifies every winter and draws national scrutiny.

What the Government Said

Chief Minister Gupta said the fight against air pollution would be waged not only through strict regulation but also through 'modern and smart administrative systems.' She described Dust Portal 2.0 as a platform that would 'bring a significant change in the process of monitoring and managing dust pollution at construction sites.'

'Through AI and digital technology, our government is making the compliance process simpler, monitoring more effective, and enforcement more transparent,' she said. She added that the government aims to make Delhi 'one of the cleanest, greenest and most environmentally responsible capitals in the world.'

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and senior departmental officials were also present at the launch.

What Comes Next

The government is working towards making the challan process fully digital, so that notices and penalties can be issued directly through the portal, eliminating the possibility of irregularities or procedural delays, according to the official statement. Every construction agency is expected to become an active compliance partner under the new framework.

Whether the platform delivers on its promise of real-time enforcement will depend on consistent data quality from sensors and cameras — a challenge that similar smart-city initiatives have faced in the past.