₹541 crore for clean air. So why is Bengaluru still choking?

by May 22, 2026 Governance
In this video, we discuss how clean air funds have been utilised and what the city must do to improve air quality.

Last year around the same time, Citizen Matters published a two part series on how the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) funds were underutilised in Bengaluru. Following this, budget allocation sped up and last September, the state government allocated over ₹145 crore to various agencies. However the air quality in the city hasn’t improved, while more than ₹100 crores of the clean air funds remain unused.

A total of ₹541 crore has been released so far, with ₹147.7 crore recently allocated among BESCOM, BMTC, BSWML, the Horticulture Department, and the Climate Action Cell. The planned projects for these clean air funds include developing footpaths, expanding green spaces, improving EV charging infrastructure, and closing landfills. However, due to delays in utilising the amount, no new funds have been released for the past three years, and the city hasn’t had much progress in improving air quality.

What is the solution?

In the video story below, we explore how BCAP funds have been put to use and what needs to be done to improve the city’s AQI. The action items include:

  • Transition of the entire waste collection fleet to electric vehicles.
  • Creation of low-emission zones in key areas in the city by restricting highly polluting vehicles
  • Hyperlocal air quality monitoring across the city.

Also, Anand Iyer, chief policy and insights officer at Janaagraha talks about what needs to be done to initiate real change on the ground. Watch the video to know more.

Also read:

Sections:

About Gangadharan B

Gangadharan (he/him) is an independent journalist, deeply passionate about writing and multimedia storytelling. He holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication and his work focuses on gender, human rights, climate and civic issues. He is particularly interested in uncovering and sharing the lives and experiences of marginalised communities.
Read more by Gangadharan B

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

SIR for Karnataka voters: All you need to know about enumeration 

by and July 3, 2026 Governance
Voter verification requires linking your 2025 rolls to your 2002 records. Here's how you can fill the forms and register.

Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which began on June 30, requires every voter to complete a fresh verification exercise. The SIR is carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prepare and revise electoral rolls, and ensure its accuracy. The process especially aims to remove deceased voters and duplicate names in the rolls, including those of  citizens who have migrated and are registered as voters in  multiple places. The election commission announced the process with the aim that ‘no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible citizen is included in the electoral roll’. In the Special Summary…

Continue reading

Similar Story

Chennai to lose thrice as many trees as originally estimated for Metro Phase II

by June 23, 2026 Governance
Over 8,000 trees would be either felled or transplanted for the project. Meanwhile, over a third of the transplanted trees haven't survived.

‘Inconvenience today for a better tomorrow’ signs follow commuters across the city as work inches on for the 118-km Chennai Metro Phase II. Residents eagerly await three corridors that will connect Madhavaram to SIPCOT, Lighthouse to Poonamalle Bypass, and Madhavaram to Sholinganallur by 2028. But the project is resulting in an irreversible loss of green cover along the corridors, far more than was estimated at the time of its approval. A total of 8,029 trees would be affected, either felled or transplanted, for the project. Over 7,000 of these trees have been uprooted already. Though new trees are planted to…

Continue reading