**Executive Summary**
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) conducted its third road inspection drive in Delhi on December 8, 2025, to assess dust accumulation and the effectiveness of dust-mitigation measures. The inspection covered roads maintained by DMRC, DSIIDC, DDA (Rohini Zone), MCD, and NDMC. The agencies have been directed to intensify dust-mitigation measures, particularly on roads with high dust intensity.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Inspection Overview:**
* 79 road stretches were inspected.
* 15 stretches showed high visible dust, 36 moderate, 22 low, and 6 had no visible dust.
* Geo-tagged, time-stamped photos were collected.
* **Agency-Specific Findings:**
* **DDA:** 57 roads inspected; 12 with high, 27 moderate, 16 low, and 2 with no visible dust. Road cleaning needs strengthening.
* **DMRC:** 10 roads inspected; 2 with no visible dust, 3 low, 4 moderate, and none with high dust intensity.
* **DSIIDC:** 12 roads inspected; 2 with no visible dust, 3 low, 4 moderate, and 3 with high dust intensity.
* **MCD & NDMC (Re-inspected):** 50% reduction in high-dust intensity due to corrective measures.
* MCD: 18 out of 35 re-inspected stretches remain in high-dust intensity.
* NDMC: The 1 re-inspected stretch remains in high-dust intensity.
* **Overall Recommendations:**
* Agencies to maintain continued vigilance.
* MCD and NDMC to reinforce dust mitigation interventions.
* Strengthen on-ground action: regular mechanical sweeping, timely dust disposal, and maintenance of road shoulders and central verges.
* Continued deployment of water-sprinkling/ dust-suppression systems.
* Continue targeted inspections under 'Operation Clean Air' to adhere to dust-control norms.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: DDA**
* **Impact:** DDA needs to strengthen its road-cleaning and mechanical sweeping activities, particularly on stretches with frequent dust accumulation.
* **Action Required:** Improve road-cleaning practices, with a focus on high-dust areas.
**Stakeholder: DMRC**
* **Impact:** Maintain current performance, continue vigilance to prevent any increase in dust accumulation.
* **Action Required:** Continue current dust-mitigation efforts.
**Stakeholder: DSIIDC**
* **Impact:** DSIIDC needs to intensify dust mitigation efforts on roads falling under the high-dust intensity category
* **Action Required:** Intensify dust mitigation measures on roads with high dust.
**Stakeholder: MCD and NDMC**
* **Impact:** MCD and NDMC need to further reinforce their efforts through consistent and timely dust mitigation interventions, despite previous improvements.
* **Action Required:** Intensify dust mitigation efforts and ensure improved compliance across all road stretches.
Key Entities Referenced
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM): The central body responsible for monitoring and enforcing air quality measures in the National Capital Region and surrounding areas.
Delhi: The location where the road dust inspection drive took place, impacting air quality.
GRAP: Referenced as the existing Graded Response Action Plan in force, which provides the statutory framework for the Commission's enforcement efforts.
Delhi Development Authority (DDA): One of the agencies responsible for maintaining road stretches inspected for dust accumulation.
Operation Clean Air: The name given to targeted inspection exercises by The Commission.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
CAQM’s Flying Squads inspect 79 road stretches
across Delhi
Agencies directed to Intensify Dust-mitigation Measures on
Roads with High Dust Intensity
प्रव तथ: 10 DEC 2025 7:57PM by PIB Delhi
22 Flying Squads of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM)
conducted the third road-inspection drive on 08.12.2025. This focussed exercise was done as a part of the
Commission’s continuous monitoring and enforcement efforts under the statutory framework and
provisions of the extant GRAP in force.
The inspection aimed to assess visible dust accumulation across road stretches maintained by Delhi
Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation
(DSIIDC) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) - Rohini Zone. It evaluated the effectiveness of
cleaning, maintenance and dust-suppression measures implemented by these agencies across a total of 79
road stretches. Flying squads also re-inspected the roads belonging to MCD and NDMC, which were
already inspected before, to see the effectiveness of action taken afterwards.
As per the final compiled data, of the 79 stretches inspected, 15 exhibited high visible dust levels, 36
showed moderate dust, 22 recorded low dust intensity and 6 stretches were found to have no visible dust.
Geo-tagged, time-stamped photographs were collected and submitted to the Commission as part of the
consolidated inspection report.
For DDA, which had the highest number of inspected roads (57), 12 stretches were identified with high
visible dust, 27 were moderate, 16 had low, and 2 road stretches showed no visible dust. The findings
exhibit that DDA’s road-cleaning and mechanical sweeping activities further need to be strengthened,
particularly on the stretches where dust accumulation occurs frequently.
In case of DMRC, out of total 10 road stretches inspected, 2 showed no visible dust, 3 recorded low dust,
and 4 moderate dust intensity, with no stretch falling in the high-dust intensity category. Likewise, for
DSIIDC, among 12 roads inspected, 2 stretches recorded no visible dust and 3 stretches with low dust
intensity. 4 road stretches reflected moderate dust intensity and with 3 falling under the high-dust intensity
category. The concerned agencies were directed to maintain continued vigilance.
In respect of the re-inspected road stretches of MCD and NDMC, the Commission noted a nearly 50%
reduction in the high-dust intensity category, primarily achieved due to the corrective measures
implemented by the MCD. However, out of its total 35 road stretches re-inspected, 18 stretches still
remain to be in the high-dust intensity category. For NDMC 1 road stretch was re-inspected. This stretch
still remains to be in the high-dust intensity category. The re-inspection findings make it evident that MCD
and NDMC should further reinforce their efforts through consistent and timely dust mitigation
interventions and deliver improved compliance across all road stretches.The Commission observed that road dust continues to significantly impact particulate matter levels in
Delhi. It emphasized the need for strengthened on-ground action, including regular mechanical sweeping,
timely disposal of collected dust, maintenance of road shoulders and central verges. This is in addition to
deployment of water-sprinkling/ dust-suppression systems across all stretches maintained by these
agencies.
The Commission reiterated that such targeted inspection exercises under ‘Operation Clean Air’ will
continue to ensure strict adherence to dust-control norms and Statutory Directions of the Commission,
with the objective of keeping road stretches across Delhi clean, dust-free and compliant with regulatory
measures in the region.
*****
VM/SK
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2201834) आगंतुक पटल : 277
इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही