**Executive Summary**
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) conducted road inspections on December 12, 2025, covering 136 road stretches maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The inspections, conducted by CAQM Flying Squads, aimed to assess dust accumulation, MSW/C&D waste, and biomass burning. The findings highlight gaps in DDA's upkeep, emphasizing the need for intensified and timely dust mitigation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Inspection Overview:**
* CAQM deployed 19 teams for road inspection on 12.12.2025.
* Inspected 136 DDA-maintained road stretches in Delhi.
* Inspections were conducted under the Commission's monitoring and enforcement efforts within the GRAP framework.
* **Assessment Focus:**
* Assessment of visible dust, MSW, C&D waste, and open burning of MSW/biomass.
* Geo-tagged photographs were submitted as part of the inspection report.
* **Inspection Findings:**
* Dust Levels: 15 stretches had high visible dust, 38 moderate, 61 low, and 22 had no visible dust.
* Waste Accumulation: 55 stretches had MSW, 53 had C&D waste.
* Biomass Burning: 6 stretches showed evidence of MSW/biomass burning.
* **Commission's Emphasis:**
* DDA needs to enhance operational efficiency and take prompt corrective measures.
* DDA must improve compliance across all road stretches regarding MSW/biomass burning.
* Strengthened on-ground action is needed, including regular mechanical sweeping, timely waste disposal, road maintenance, water sprinkling, and prevention of open burning.
* **Continuous Monitoring:**
* Targeted inspection exercises under ‘Operation Clean Air’ will continue.
* Goal: Strict adherence to Statutory Directions for dust control, interventions for open burning, and overall cleanliness.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Delhi Development Authority (DDA)**
* **Impact**: The DDA is directly addressed as the responsible party for the upkeep of the inspected road stretches and is found to have evident gaps and recurring negligence in the upkeep.
* **Action Required**: DDA needs to enhance its operational efficiency, take prompt corrective measures through consistent and timely dust mitigation interventions, improve compliance across all road stretches regarding MSW/biomass burning, and implement strengthened on-ground action.
Key Entities Referenced
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM): The primary regulatory body conducting inspections and issuing directions to mitigate air pollution, particularly dust and MSW/Biomass burning in Delhi.
Delhi Development Authority (DDA): The agency responsible for maintaining road stretches within Delhi and subject to CAQM's oversight and directives.
Delhi: The geographical area where the CAQM and DDA's actions, relating to road maintenance and air quality, are focused.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW): A specific type of waste identified as a key contributor to pollution problems that the CAQM and DDA are addressing.
Operation Clean Air: A targeted inspection exercise by CAQM for dust control and interventions for open burning of MSW/Biomass.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
CAQM Flying Squads inspect 136 Road
Stretches maintained by DDA across Delhi;
Highlight Evident Gaps in the upkeep of the
Concerned Stretches
Commission emphasizes need for DDA to Intensify
Consistent and Timely Dust Mitigation Interventions, based
on Inspection Findings
प्रव तथ: 14 DEC 2025 3:34PM by PIB Delhi
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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