NEW DELHI: As part of its intensified Operation Clean Air, the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) Flying Squad inspected 321 road stretches across Delhi, identifying 35 locations with high dust accumulation.
The focused drive, conducted by 26 Flying Squads to assess the effectiveness of sweeping and dust-suppression efforts, found that while the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) maintained comparatively better road conditions, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) requires stronger and more consistent dust-control measures under the ongoing GRAP enforcement.
According to a statement by the CAQM, the drive, conducted on Saturday, was undertaken to strengthen on-ground monitoring and intensification of dust mitigation measures under the statutory framework and the extant GRAP in-force.
This drive aimed to assess visible dust accumulation on road stretches and evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning, sweeping and dust-suppression measures being implemented by the MCD, NDMC and CPWD.
A total of 321 road stretches were inspected across the roads of the three agencies. Geo-tagged, time-stamped photographic documentation was collected and submitted to the Commission as part of the consolidated inspection report. As per the final compiled data, 35 road stretches exhibited high visible dust levels, 61 showed moderate dust, 94 recorded low dust intensity, and 131 stretches were found to have no visible dust, the statement claimed.
Under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which accounted for the highest number of inspected stretches at 182, the Flying Squads found 35 roads with high visible dust intensity, 50 with moderate levels, 70 with low dust, and 27 with no visible dust. Officials noted that the findings point to an urgent need for MCD to further strengthen its road-cleaning and mechanical sweeping operations, particularly in areas showing repeated dust accumulation.
In comparison, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) exhibited significantly better performance. Of the 133 stretches inspected, 100 showed no visible dust, 24 recorded low dust, and only 9 reflected moderate levels, while none fell into the high-dust category.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which has a smaller jurisdiction, saw six stretches inspected. None registered high dust intensity, two showed moderate dust levels, and four had no visible dust, indicating relatively effective upkeep, though continued monitoring remains crucial.
The Commission emphasised that road dust continues to be a major contributor to particulate matter levels in Delhi, especially during the winter season, and 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.
Further, CAQM directed all agencies, particularly MCD, given the higher number of dust-affected stretches, to intensify cleaning operations, optimise mechanical sweeping schedules, and ensure strict adherence to dust-mitigation norms and Statutory Directions of the Commission. The Commission reiterated that such targeted inspection drives under ‘Operation Clean Air’ will continue to ensure roads are clean, dust-free and compliant with norms through improved dust-control measures in the region.
Agencies