Lucknow Launches AI-Powered Sensors to Track and Tackle Air Pollution Across UP
Uttar Pradesh has launched a pioneering AI-powered project led by IIT-Kanpur and IBM to monitor and combat air pollution. The initiative deploys low-cost, indigenous sensors to track pollution sources across every district in the state, providing real-time data to support localised, evidence-based policy decisions. Positioned as India’s first airshed-based management framework, the system aims to balance economic growth with environmental health under the national Viksit Bharat mission.
Central to the initiative is the deployment of AI-integrated, low-cost air quality sensors developed indigenously by researchers at IIT-Kanpur. These sensors are now being installed across blocks in Uttar Pradesh to continuously map and monitor air pollution levels. By moving away from reliance on expensive imported technology, the project demonstrates how local innovation can drive scalable and cost-effective environmental solutions. The real-time data generated by these sensors will feed into an AI-powered Air Quality Stack system co-developed by IBM’s India Software Lab team in Lucknow. This platform will process sensor inputs using machine learning to provide accurate forecasts and immediate alerts on pollution spikes, enabling timely interventions by local authorities. Dashboards designed for public use will allow both citizens and decision-makers to track pollution metrics, understand sources, and shape cleaner urban policies.
According to environmental experts involved in the project, this model is rooted in the airshed strategy, which considers how pollutants move across geographical boundaries. By creating a unified monitoring framework that spans districts rather than focusing on city-specific metrics, the model offers a more holistic approach to pollution control, vital for a state as vast and diverse as Uttar Pradesh. The project is also in line with the national vision of Viksit Bharat, aiming to build sustainable and climate-resilient cities that thrive economically without compromising environmental health. Through the Airawat Research Foundation, IIT-Kanpur’s dedicated platform for climate-tech innovation, the collaboration seeks to link academia, industry, and government into a cohesive effort to achieve cleaner air for all.
With air pollution causing an estimated 1.6 million premature deaths annually in India, projects like this mark a critical step forward in addressing the crisis. The real success of the initiative, however, will rest on its scalability, public engagement, and the responsiveness of urban governance systems to the data-driven insights it provides. In the coming months, the collaboration aims to refine the forecasting capabilities of the AI models and expand sensor coverage to more cities and rural belts. By creating a replicable model, it opens doors for other Indian states to adopt similar frameworks, making clean air a shared, achievable goal across the country.
