The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) intensified enforcement under Operation Clean Air. It conducted a large-scale inspection of road dust across the national capital. On November 29, it surveyed 321 road stretches. The special drive was carried out by 26 Flying Squads. They assessed how effective the dust-control measures were. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) implemented these measures. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) were also involved.
According to CAQM’s consolidated report, 35 road stretches were found with high visible dust levels. Meanwhile, 61 stretches recorded moderate dust. Additionally, 94 showed low dust. Lastly, 131 stretches had no visible dust. Geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs were collected during the inspection to document ground conditions.
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The MCD, which accounted for most inspected sites with 182 road stretches, showed the highest number of dust-affected areas. Thirty-five stretches displayed high dust intensity, 50 moderate, 70 low, and only 27 were found dust-free. The Commission noted that MCD must significantly improve its mechanical sweeping. It also needs to enhance water sprinkling and conduct regular maintenance on stretches prone to recurring dust accumulation.
NDMC does well in Road Upkeep
In comparison, NDMC reported better upkeep. Out of 133 stretches inspected, 100 were completely dust-free. Twenty-four recorded low dust levels. Nine stretches had moderate dust levels. None fell under the high-intensity category. CPWD oversees a smaller jurisdiction of six roads. It recorded no high dust stretches. Two stretches showed moderate dust. Four had no visible dust.
Road dust remains a major contributor to Delhi’s particulate matter load, especially in winter. The Commission emphasized this issue and called for stricter adherence to dust-mitigation norms. It directed all agencies—particularly MCD—to intensify sweeping, improve disposal of collected dust, maintain pavements, and deploy effective dust-suppression measures.
CAQM said such targeted inspections will continue under Operation Clean Air. This initiative aims to ensure cleaner, dust-free roads. It will also strengthen compliance with air-quality regulations across the region.
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