Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday (October 22) announced several anti-pollution measures including increased metro trips, deployment of over 6,000 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) workers for road dust control, and 1,800 additional traffic personnel at congestion points.
These actions follow the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage II, triggered by rising pollution levels in the national capital.
What actions is the Delhi government implementing to tackle air pollution?
Key measures include the deployment of 1,800 extra traffic personnel at 97 congestion hotspots across Delhi to ease traffic flow and reduce vehicular emissions.
Inspections at construction and demolition sites will be intensified to ensure adherence to pollution control norms.
To promote public transportation, the Delhi Metro will add 40 more train trips starting Wednesday, while the frequency of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses will also be increased.
Rai also mentioned that MCD will deploy 6,200 workers for increased water spraying to control dust, particularly at pollution hotspots, starting October 25.
“With the change in weather in Delhi, we are also witnessing an increase in pollution levels. This trend is not limited to Delhi; it is being observed across North India as well,” he said. Rai explained that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the capital has surpassed 300, leading to the enforcement of GRAP Stage II.
On Monday, the Central Pollution Control Board had already imposed restrictions under GRAP Stage II, including curbs on the use of coal, firewood, and diesel generator sets, as air quality continued to decline.
Delhi govt urges UP, Haryana, Rajasthan to restrict plying diesel buses to capital
At a press conference, Rai also stated that he plans to write to officials in neighboring states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, urging them to avoid sending diesel buses into Delhi to help combat the city’s pollution crisis. Rai mentioned in his letters that a significant contributor to air pollution is vehicular emissions, primarily due to the large influx of diesel buses entering Delhi from neighboring states.
“The impact of diesel emissions on air quality is well established and the large influx of such buses significantly contribute to the degradation of air quality in Delhi, posing serious health risks to the residents,” he said.
He stated that Delhi is already struggling with poor air quality, and the added burden from interstate traffic is worsening the situation. “In light of this, I kindly request your office to consider restricting the entry of diesel buses from entering Delhi or implementing stricter regulations to control their emission norms,” Rai added.