Delhi has been grappling with ‘severe plus’ category air pollution and the situation is expected to worsen in the coming days. Keeping the severity of the circumstances in mind, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has established a ‘Dust and Control Management Center’ which aims to enhance air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR).
NHAI’s Dust and Control Management Center for NCR
This center’s primary purpose is to oversee the effective implementation of dust control measures in NHAI‘s National Highway projects within Delhi-NCR.
NHAI is currently engaged in the execution of many important projects in the NCR, including the Dwarka Expressway, UER II Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, and Delhi-Dehradun Expressway.
To mitigate the impact of dust and maintain air quality, NHAI has instructed its contractors to assess and adhere rigorously to the dust control measures prescribed by the CAQM, Central, and/or State Pollution Control Boards at their National Highway construction sites.
Measures taken by NHAI to tackle air pollution
These measures which are to tackle air pollution in the city, include the implementation of various actions, such as employing mechanical sweeping machines on completed projects, continuous water sprinkling at construction sites throughout the day, deploying Anti-Smog Guns at construction sites, and covering construction and demolition materials with green netting or cloth.
As air quality deteriorates in Delhi-NCR, CAQM has invoked measures outlined in the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
In alignment with these guidelines, NHAI is taking all necessary steps to optimize dust control efforts at its National Highway construction sites in the region.