**Executive Summary**
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) conducted an inspection drive on 24.12.2025 to assess compliance and effectiveness of corrective measures by road-maintaining agencies, following earlier inspections on 12.12.2025. The inspection covered both PWD and DDA maintained road stretches. The commission directed PWD to intensify on-ground interventions.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Inspection Overview:**
* CAQM conducted an inspection on 24.12.2025 focusing on visible road dust, MRSMs, MSW, C&D waste, and open burning.
* 15 DPCC teams inspected 106 PWD road stretches, and 2 CPCB teams re-inspected 27 DDA road stretches.
* **DDA Road Stretches (Re-inspection):**
* Significant improvement was observed compared to the 12.12.2025 inspections.
* 0 stretches had High Dust, 7 had Moderate Dust, 19 had Low Dust, and 1 had No Visible Dust.
* **PWD Road Stretches (Inspection):**
* 9 stretches had High Visible Dust, 16 had Moderate Dust, 37 had Low Dust, and 44 had No Visible Dust.
* MSW, C&D waste, and open burning were observed on some stretches with high dust.
* **Commission's Observations and Directives:**
* DDA re-inspection results indicate improvement.
* PWD inspection highlighted gaps in road maintenance and dust control.
* The commission emphasized the need for regular mechanical sweeping, timely waste disposal, road maintenance, water sprinkling, and strict prevention of open burning.
* "Operation Clean Air" will continue through targeted inspections.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Public Works Department (PWD)**
* **Impact:** Directed to intensify on-ground interventions due to persisting gaps in road maintenance and dust control, as observed during the inspection of 106 road stretches.
* **Action Required:** Implement immediate and sustained corrective actions, including regular mechanical sweeping, timely waste disposal, road maintenance, water sprinkling, and strict prevention of open burning.
**Stakeholder: Delhi Development Authority (DDA)**
* **Impact:** Acknowledged for demonstrating significant improvement on 27 re-inspected road stretches.
* **Action Required:** Maintain the improved upkeep and responsiveness to previous directions.
Key Entities Referenced
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM): The primary regulator overseeing air quality management in the National Capital Region and surrounding areas.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): Extant plan outlining measures to be taken based on air quality levels.
Public Works Department (PWD): Agency responsible for maintaining roads and infrastructure.
Delhi Development Authority (DDA): Agency responsible for maintaining certain road stretches within Delhi.
Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC): Agency responsible for conducting inspections of roads.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
CAQM conducts inspection of PWD roads and
re-inspection of DDA road stretches on
24.12.2025 to assess dust mitigation measures
Significant improvement observed on DDA stretches earlier
reported with high visible dust, while PWD directed to further
intensify on-ground interventions
प्रव तथ: 25 DEC 2025 6:33PM by PIB Delhi
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) conducted an
inspection drive on 24.12.2025 to assess compliance and effectiveness of corrective measures undertaken
by concerned road-maintaining agencies following inspections carried out earlier on 12.12.2025. This was
done as part of its continuous monitoring and ongoing enforcement efforts under the statutory framework
and provisions of the extant Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The drive focused on assessment of accumulation of visible road dust and on-ground operations of
Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs), along with identification of instances of Municipal
Solid Waste (MSW) accumulation, Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste accumulation and cases of
open burning.
A total of 15 teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for inspection of 106 road stretches
maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD) and 02 teams of the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB) for re-inspection of selected 27 road stretches under the jurisdiction of Delhi Development
Authority (DDA) were deployed under the directions of the Commission. Geo-tagged and time-stamped
photographic documentation was collected and submitted to the Commission as part of the consolidated
inspection report.
During the re-inspection of 27 road stretches maintained by DDA, which were earlier reported with high
visible dust levels during inspections conducted on 12.12.2025, it was observed that now none of the i.e. 0
stretches fell under the High Dust category on 24.12.2025. Out of these stretches, 07 found with Moderate
Dust levels, 19 recorded Low Dust intensity and 01 stretch was found to have No Visible Dust. This
indicates a marked improvement in the overall upkeep of these road stretches, reflecting the impact of
corrective measures undertaken by the agency following the earlier inspection by CAQM.
Simultaneously, inspection of 106 road stretches maintained by PWD revealed that 09 stretches exhibited
High Visible Dust levels, 16 showed Moderate Dust, 37 recorded Low Dust intensity and 44 stretches
were found to have No Visible Dust. On certain stretches observed with high dust intensity, accumulation
of MSW and C&D waste, as well as instances of open burning, were also reported, indicating the need for
strengthened on-ground enforcement and upkeep by the concerned agency.The Commission observed that while the re-inspection results of DDA-maintained road stretches indicates
improvement and responsiveness to the directions issued earlier, the inspection of PWD-maintained road
stretches highlight persisting gaps in effective road maintenance and dust control and require immediate
and sustained corrective action. The Commission emphasized the need for regular mechanical sweeping,
timely lifting and disposal of collected dust and waste, maintenance of road stretches and central verges,
effective deployment of water sprinkling and dust-suppression mechanisms, and strict prevention of open
burning across all stretches.
The Commission reiterated that targeted inspection and re-inspection exercises under ‘Operation Clean
Air’ will continue to be carried out actively to ensure strict adherence to its Statutory Directions for dust
mitigation and prevention of open burning, with the objective of keeping road stretches across Delhi clean
and dust-free.
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VM/GS/SK
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