Cloud-seeding plan takes off in Delhi with a trial flight

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday said a trial cloud seeding flight was conducted earlier in the day. The cloud-seeding experiment, which has been postponed multiple times since July, aims to induce artificial rainfall and could be a viable solution to tackle air pollution in the Capital.

The experiment was scheduled for Wednesday but halted for the day due to insufficient cloud cover.

Hoping for the arrival of suitable clouds by the end of this month, Mr. Sirsa said, “Delhi is ready to witness its first artificial rainfall experiment. All systems – from aircraft to meteorological and environmental monitoring – are in place. Now, the only thing we await is the arrival of suitable clouds, expected around October 29-30, when the actual seeding will be conducted.”

The flight departed from the IIT Kanpur airstrip and covered the route from Kanpur via Meerut, Khekra, Burari, Sadakpur, Bhojpur, and Aligarh, and returned to Kanpur.

The Minister said cloud seeding flares were successfully fired between Khekra and Burari, while the aircraft’s performance, equipment endurance, and safety protocols were thoroughly evaluated.

“The entire operation lasted around four hours, serving as a crucial preparatory step to ensure that Delhi’s artificial rain mission is implemented with precision and scientific accuracy,” he said.