Delhi will receive 13 new Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring stations, authorities announced, with locations finalised and published. The expansion forms part of efforts to strengthen ambient air monitoring across the city. The new network will increase spatial coverage and reduce gaps in real-time data. The announcement follows recent calls for better monitoring to track pollution trends across seasons.

The additional monitoring points are intended to provide more granular readings to inform pollution-control measures and public advisories. Greater density of monitoring helps identify local hotspots and temporal patterns that are not apparent from a limited number of stations. Improved data quality is expected to assist planners and health agencies in targeting interventions. High-frequency measurements can also support short-term forecasting and improve the timeliness of health advisories.

The list of locations covers multiple municipal districts and neighbourhoods to achieve balanced representation of residential, industrial and traffic-affected areas. Placement choices were finalised after a technical assessment of existing coverage and emission sources. Deployment will include calibration and commissioning phases before the stations are brought into full operation. Site selection accounted for logistical considerations such as power availability and secure shelters for sensitive instruments.

Once operational, the stations will feed data into the city's existing air quality information systems and be accessible to researchers and the public through online platforms. Maintenance and periodic validation will be required to ensure measurement accuracy and continuity. Authorities indicated that the enlargement of the monitoring network is a step towards more evidence-based air management in the national capital. Community groups and academic bodies will be able to use the richer dataset for research and local mitigation planning.