Delhi cloud-seeding project: Preparations complete, pilots trained, aircraft tested; operation to begin after Diwali

DELHI: Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday announced that all necessary permissions for the city’s cloud-seeding project have been obtained, and pilots have successfully completed four days of training and area trials.

The artificial rain operation is expected to commence once the Meteorological Department gives the green signal, likely within two to three days after Diwali, depending on cloud conditions. According to Sirsa, the team can begin the operation within three hours of receiving approval, ANI reported.

“We have all the required permissions and have trained our pilots. Both pilots conducted trials over the designated area to familiarize themselves with the aircraft and the terrain.

The training over the past four days has been successful,” Sirsa said. “Once the Meteorological Department gives the go-ahead, a sample of cloud seeding will be taken. We are waiting for suitable clouds, and the operation will be carried out the day after Diwali or as soon as permission is granted.

Everything is ready.”

Earlier attempts to conduct Delhi’s first artificial rain trial had to be postponed, even though the aircraft fitted with cloud-seeding equipment was ready in Meerut on October 7.

Sirsa emphasized that the experiment would be conducted under dry and stable weather conditions to ensure accurate results.The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, with the aim of assessing whether cloud seeding can help disperse pollutants and reduce smog during Delhi’s peak pollution period. The government has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIT Kanpur for five such trials to be conducted in northwest Delhi.The project has received clearance from 23 departments, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Funds have already been transferred to IIT Kanpur, which will deploy its aircraft for the operations. Authorised from October 1 to November 30, the trials will be conducted under strict safety, security, and air traffic regulations. Clearance under Rule 26(2) of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, allows IIT Kanpur’s Department of Aerospace Engineering to carry out the activity using a Cessna 206-H aircraft.The operations are being coordinated with experts from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Sirsa assured that all safety and environmental guidelines will be strictly followed and added that no photographers will be allowed during the process to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures.(With agency inputs)