Expansion of Weather Station Network in Delhi: New AWS Operational at Bharat Mandapam, IGNOU Next in Line

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is enhancing its weather station network in the capital city, with the recent operationalization of an automatic weather station (AWS) at Bharat Mandapam and plans for another installation at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in Saket, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Kuldeep Srivastava, a scientist at IMD, highlighted the department's initiative to increase the density of weather stations across Delhi, providing comprehensive coverage for precise forecasting in every part of the city. The newly inaugurated Pragati Maidan AWS, strategically positioned for forecasting Bharat Mandapam and events of international significance, has already demonstrated its utility during the G20 Summit held in September.

Officials disclosed that the Pragati Maidan AWS would also contribute to forecasts for Rajghat, extending its impact across key locations in the city. Looking ahead, IGNOU has been identified as the next site for an AWS, aiming to enhance coverage in the south district around Saket and Maidangarhi.

Srivastava mentioned that the IGNOU location is in the finalization stage, and installation will commence soon. Post-installation, calibration, and data collection will ensure accuracy before sharing the information on the IMD website for public access.

After IGNOU, the IMD plans to establish the next AWS station in the northeast district, with the exact location yet to be finalized. The department aims to create an extensive and reliable network to capture real-time weather data, reinforcing forecasting capabilities in the region.

Delhi presently operates five manual weather stations at Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge, and Ayanagar, where readings are collected manually throughout the day. Additionally, the city boasts nine AWS locations, such as Najafgarh, Mayur Vihar, Sports Complex, Mungeshpur, Jafarpur, Pitampura, Narela, and Pusa, where automated data recording and transmission occur through pre-calibrated instruments.

In addition to these, part-time observatories at the President’s House and Dhansa are available for local forecasts or data capture when required, further bolstering Delhi's weather monitoring capabilities.