CAQM survey flags 35 high-dust road stretches in Delhi, seeks stronger action from MCD

A citywide inspection by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on November 29 identified 35 stretches of road in the city with high levels of visible dust, based on checks carried out by its 26 flying squads, the Commission said on Sunday. The findings were released on Sunday as part of the Commission’s ongoing enforcement efforts under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The squads inspected 321 road stretches maintained by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The inspection aimed to assess dust accumulation and review the effectiveness of cleaning, sweeping and dust-suppression measures implemented by the three agencies. All stretches were documented with geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs.

Of the 321 roads, 35 showed high dust intensity, 61 moderate, 94 low and 131 had no visible dust.

The CAQM said, "Under the MCD, which had the highest number of inspected roads (182), 35 stretches reflected high levels of visible dust intensity, 50 were moderate, 70 had low, and 27 stretches recorded no visible dust."

"The findings indicate the need for further strengthening of the MCD’s road-cleaning and mechanical sweeping operations, especially on stretches with recurring dust accumulation," it added.

The CAQM said the findings indicate the need for expanded cleaning efforts and better mechanical sweeping, particularly on stretches where dust accumulation is recurring.

In the NDMC area, 133 stretches were inspected. The assessment showed 100 stretches with no visible dust, 24 with low dust and 9 with moderate dust intensity. No NDMC stretch fell in the high-dust category.

CPWD, which has jurisdiction over only six stretches examined in the drive, reported no high-dust locations. Two stretches recorded moderate dust intensity, while four had no visible dust.

The CAQM stated, "Road dust continues to be a major contributor to particulate matter levels in Delhi, especially during the winter." The commission stressed the need for consistent mechanical sweeping, timely disposal of collected dust, proper maintenance of pavements and regular deployment of water-sprinkling/ dust-suppression measures across all stretches maintained by these agencies.

The Commission has directed all agencies to intensify dust-mitigation efforts, with specific instructions to the MCD to increase cleaning operations and ensure stricter compliance with statutory norms.

It added that similar drives under “Operation Clean Air” would continue to monitor dust levels and enforce on-ground compliance across Delhi.