NEW DELHI — Delhi’s environment minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, announced on Saturday that the national capital has achieved 163 clean air days between January 1 and September 6, 2025. A clean air day is defined as a day with an Air Quality Index (AQI) classified as Good, Satisfactory, or Moderate.
This new figure already surpasses the total number of clean air days for the full years of 2016 (110 days), 2017 (152 days), and 2018 (159 days) and matches the 163 days recorded in 2022. With almost four months left in the year, Delhi is on track to set a new record for the highest number of clean air days in a decade. According to Sirsa, this achievement reflects the Delhi government’s “committed and data-driven approach to environmental enhancement.”
The minister’s office highlighted that August 2025 was a “milestone month,” with all 31 days categorized as clean air days, a streak that has continued through the first six days of September.
“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the effective leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi is experiencing a transformative phase in its environmental journey,” Sirsa said in a statement. He credited the success to a “multi-tiered strategy” that includes technological interventions such as mechanized road sweeping, advanced bio-mining techniques, and responsible waste management systems.
In addition to these long-term efforts, the Delhi government has set up over 60 artificial ponds across the city to support eco-friendly festivities. The ponds are intended for idol immersion during Ganesh Chaturthi and the upcoming Durga Puja, a move officials say promotes safe and sustainable practices.