NHAI officials served show-cause notice for dust pollution in Bahadurgarh

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has issued a show-cause notice to the General Manager and Project Director of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), PIU Sonepat, for violating Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) guidelines in Bahadurgarh, one of the most polluted towns in Haryana.

The action follows repeated inspections by HSPCB officials, who found heavy dust emissions from a damaged section of the Delhi-Rohtak Road near the Bahadurgarh bypass. Continuous vehicular movement on the broken stretch was reportedly contributing to severe air pollution in the area.

Shailender Arora, Regional Officer, HSPCB, said the dust emissions were a clear breach of GRAP norms. “The GRAP guidelines ensure that dust mitigation measures are properly implemented during construction and demolition (C&D) activities. Materials and waste must be stored, contained, and covered and transported only in covered vehicles to prevent environmental contamination,” he said.

He said NHAI officials have been directed to submit a reply within 15 days, explaining why prosecution under Section 14 of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, should not be initiated against them.

“The officials have also been instructed to ensure full compliance with GRAP directives, including regular water sprinkling, dust suppression, removal of accumulated dust from roads and clearing of encroachments and uncovered building materials in green areas,” Arora said.

Sources said the neglected condition of the Delhi-Rohtak Road has been a persistent concern, with dust clouds worsening air quality for commuters and residents. The HSPCB’s latest action aims to ensure that the NHAI takes immediate steps to control particulate pollution in Bahadurgarh, which frequently records poor air quality levels.