In an effort to make Delhi a smoke-free city ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the city government is initiating an ambitious project in collaboration with a prestigious US institution for public health.

As part of the project, the government plans to install air nicotine monitoring devices in several strategic locations and public places in the city in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States.

The government and the institute will sign a MoU for exchange of technical know-how and capacity building on the matter, officials said.

The Cabinet today gave its nod to the project, which would be implemented in two years' time with effect from October 2008 to September 2010 at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore.

The Bloomberg Global Initiative (BGI) would contribute approximately Rs four crore whereas Delhi government would contribute Rs six crore. BGI would also provide training to the project team for installation of nicotine monitoring devices. It would also help the team on capacity building.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said her government is committed to make Delhi smoke-free before the Commonwealth Games with an intention to protect the citizens from the ill-effects of exposure to tobacco smoke, reduce the prevalence of smoking and to honour the rights of citizens of Delhi to breath clean air.

As per available statistics, tobacco continues to be the second major cause of death. In Delhi, almost 45 per cent men have the habit of smoking whereas the percentage of smokers among women is seven.