Indian authorities conducted a cloud-seeding trial over smog-covered New Delhi on Tuesday, October 28, to trigger rainfall and cleanse the city’s hazardous air, amid growing public frustration.

IIT Kanpur successfully carried out the operation, targeting a corridor approximately 25 nautical miles long and 4 nautical miles wide, spanning from Khekra to slightly north of Burari.

The initial flight released six flares at an altitude of about 4,000 feet above ground level, with a burn time of 18.5 minutes. A second flight departed at 3:55 pm, deploying eight flares at 5,000–6,000 feet.

A plane dispersed chemicals into clouds over parts of the capital to promote rain and remove airborne pollutants, even as air quality stayed in the “very poor” category per monitoring stations.

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that introduces chemicals into clouds to stimulate precipitation. It has been employed in drought-affected areas like the western United States and the United Arab Emirates, but experts question its reliability.

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that the trial was a joint effort with the government’s Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, with additional operations scheduled soon. He noted that light rain was anticipated in certain areas of the city within hours.

Persistent pollution crisis

New Delhi and its neighbouring region, with a population exceeding 30 million, consistently rank among the world’s most polluted urban areas. India hosts six of the ten most polluted cities globally, and New Delhi remains the most polluted capital, according to a Switzerland-based IQAir report released earlier this year.

Authorities have banned construction activities, limited diesel generator use, and deployed water sprinklers and anti-smog guns to suppress the haze. Critics, however, argue for comprehensive strategies that target pollution sources rather than temporary relief after the damage is done.

(With inputs from Associated Press)