Delhi Set to Witness First-Ever Artificial Rain as Cloud Seeding Trial Succeeds

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced that the capital is ready to witness its first-ever artificial rain through cloud seeding, marking a major step in the city’s efforts to combat air pollution.

Gupta said that a successful trial of the initiative was conducted earlier in the day in the Burari area.

“For the first time in Delhi, preparations have been completed to induce artificial rain through cloud seeding, marking a significant technological milestone in the capital’s fight against air pollution,” Gupta said in a post on X. “Experts successfully conducted a trial test in the Burari area today.”

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cloudy conditions are expected on October 28, 29, and 30. If weather conditions remain favourable, Delhi could see its first artificial rain on October 29, Gupta added.

“This initiative is not only technologically historic but also establishes a scientific approach to combatting pollution in Delhi. The government aims to clean the capital’s air and restore environmental balance through this innovation,” she said.

About the Initiative

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa expressed gratitude to CM Gupta and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, confirming that a trial seeding flight was carried out earlier on Thursday.

“A trial flight was conducted from IIT Kanpur to the Delhi region via Meerut, Khekra, Burari, Sadakpur, Bhojpur, and Aligarh, before returning to IIT Kanpur. Cloud seeding flares were fired between Khekra and Burari and over Badli using pyro techniques,” Sirsa said on X.

He added that the mission was aimed at evaluating the system’s efficiency, aircraft endurance, and coordination among participating agencies.

Developed jointly by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and the Delhi government, the cloud-seeding project explores artificial rainfall as a pollution-control measure. The trial, originally scheduled for July 4, was postponed due to unfavourable weather.

Who Is Conducting the Project

In September, the Delhi government signed an MoU with IIT-Kanpur to conduct five cloud-seeding trials in northwest Delhi.

The project, cleared by 23 departments including the DGCA, aims to determine whether artificial rain can be a sustainable method to mitigate Delhi’s worsening air quality during winter.

IIT-Kanpur will deploy its own aircraft, a Cessna 206-H (VT-IIT), for the operations.

Project Timeline and Safety

Cloud-seeding operations are authorised between October 1 and November 30 under Rule 26(2) of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. The project will adhere to strict safety, security, and air-traffic norms.

The effort is being carried out in collaboration with experts from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).