Despite cutting-edge interventions like smog towers, drones, and cloud seeding, Delhi–NCR continues to choke under hazardous air. Critics label these as “Band-Aid solutions,” offering only brief relief rather than tackling root causes.

A critical flaw lies in implementation. Delhi’s 2025 mitigation plan outlines ambitious targets—electric buses, EV infrastructure, dust control, industrial fuel shifts—but lacks integrated regional coordination, unified transport planning, and enforcement capacity. Without synchronization across NCR states, the city fights pollution solo despite 50–70% of its pollution drifting in from neighboring regions.

Monitoring gaps compound the issue. Many air-quality stations violate placement norms—blocked by trees or near pollution hotspots—skewing data and hindering policy decisions. Similarly, technological fixes like drones or smog towers fail to translate into impactful air cleansing across the region.

Without robust enforcement, inter-state cooperation, accurate data, and sustainable solutions, Delhi’s ambitious plans risk remaining just ink on paper—while its citizens continue to breathe toxic air.