Dust-free roads: PWD’s initiative for cleaner air

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has prepared a proposal to tackle the problem of dust pollution in the Capital. A recent study has said about 45% of Delhi’s pollution is because of dust.

The PWD has started the tendering process for the mechanical cleaning of roads. “If you see, the roads are always dusty. We are consulting experts. Machines will be purchased to make the roads dust-free,” said the PWD minister Satyendar Jain.

A government official, the sanitation staff transfer the dust from one part of the road to another during cleaning, causing inconvenience people and polluting the air.

“Various studies have brought to our attention that the percentage of pollution because of dust is increasing consistently. Apart from clearing dust, we will develop green areas along roads in a bid to give Delhiites clean air,” said a Delhi government official.

A major problem the PWD faces is that of the 28,000 km road network in Delhi where the cleaning initiative will be taken up, only 1,200 km falls under the department. The other roads are with the civic bodies, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other departments. A Delhi government study says that about 80% pollution is caused by vehicles, out of which 45% is due to dust.

“The government is ready to plant trees along roads,” added the official. The officer admitted the big challenge was to clean roads in colonies that are under the civic bodies.

“No one is ready to take the blame even in authorised colonies. We haven’t yet decided to write to other agencies for their cooperation but we request their help in bringing down air pollution,” the official further said.