The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) deployed 19 teams for road-inspection drive on 12.12.2025. A total of 136 road stretches within the jurisdiction of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) were inspected across Delhi. It was done as part of the Commission’s continuous monitoring and enforcement efforts under the statutory framework and provisions of the extant GRAP in force.

This focused exercise aimed to assess accumulation of visible dust, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste on roads, along with cases involving open burning of MSW/ biomass, across the said road stretches.  The deployed teams included Officers from CAQM Flying Squads and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

Geo-tagged, time-stamped photographs were collected and submitted to the Commission as part of the consolidated inspection report. As per the final compiled data, 15 road stretches exhibited high visible dust levels, 38 showed moderate dust, 61 recorded low dust intensity and 22 stretches were found to have no visible dust. Road stretches with accumulation of MSW and C&D waste were reported to be 55 and 53 respectively. 6 stretches were reported to have evidence of MSW/ Biomass burning.

The above stated observations clearly indicate evident gaps and recurring negligence in the upkeep of the concerned stretches. It brought to the fore a need for DDA to enhance its operational efficiency and take prompt corrective measures through consistent and timely dust mitigation interventions. The agency also needs to deliver improved compliance across all road stretches for MSW/ Biomass burning, it was highlighted.

The Commission observed that these kind of incidents impact particulate matter levels in Delhi and emphasized the need for strengthened on-ground action, including regular mechanical sweeping, timely disposal of collected dust, maintenance of road shoulders and central verges in addition to deployment of water-sprinkling/ dust-suppression systems and focused action(s) for prevention of open burning cases across all stretches maintained by DDA.

The Commission reiterated that such targeted inspection exercises under ‘Operation Clean Air’ will continue to ensure strict adherence to its Statutory Directions for dust control, interventions for open burning of MSW/ Biomass, with the objective of keeping road stretches across Delhi clean, free from dust and open burning, and compliant with regulatory measures in the region.

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VM/SK

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