As dust on Delhi’s roads continues to worsen the already hazardous pollution in the Capital this winter, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been identified as the top violator during the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM’s) latest inspection drive — with high dust detected on 12 out of its 57 stretches surveyed in Rohini.
The findings are part of the third round of such inspection carried out by 22 CAQM Flying Squads on Monday to assess dust accumulation and the effectiveness of mitigation measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
According to the CAQM, the inspection covered 79 road stretches maintained by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and the DDA. The CAQM teams also re-inspected stretches under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to evaluate the impact of corrective actions taken earlier. The commission said geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs were collected and submitted as part of the consolidated report.
Of the inspected stretches, high visible dust were detected on 15, 36 had moderate dust, 22 had low dust and six stretches showed no visible dust, the CAQM said. The DDA accounted for the majority of high-dust stretches, prompting the commission to note that the agency’s mechanical sweeping and road-cleaning efforts “need to be strengthened,” particularly on stretches where dust tends to accumulate frequently.
Re-inspection of MCD and NDMC roads showed mixed progress. The CAQM said it observed a nearly 50% reduction in the MCD’s high-dust stretches after corrective measures were undertaken. However, of the 35 stretches rechecked, 18 continued to remain in the high-dust category. For the NDMC, the only re-inspected stretch continued to remain in the high-dust category, according to the commission.
The DMRC and the DSIIDC performed comparatively better. Out of the 10 DMRC stretches inspected, none fell in the high-dust category, with two showing no visible dust, three low dust and four moderate dust, the commission said. For the DSIIDC, out of 12 stretches, three recorded high dust, four moderate, three low and two no visible dust.
Reiterating that road dust remains a major contributor to particulate pollution in Delhi, the CAQM, in a statement on Wednesday, called for “strengthened on-ground action,” including regular mechanical sweeping, timely disposal of collected dust, and maintenance of road shoulders and central verges. The commission has also emphasised the need to deploy water-sprinkling and dust-suppression systems consistently.
