3 agencies to work to curb road dust in Delhi-NCR, focus on paving, greening

In a significant step towards reducing dust pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, three key agencies will now work together under a structured framework for the redevelopment of urban roads.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, to jointly implement a Standard Framework aimed at curbing road dust emissions.

The agreement outlines a comprehensive redevelopment strategy that prioritises paving and greening of footpaths and sidewalks to address the persistent issue of dust pollution. As part of this collaboration, a Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) will be set up at CAQM, with both CSIR-CRRI and SPA providing technical and institutional support.

The PMC will coordinate and oversee the phased rollout of the framework across NCR states, ensuring adherence to the detailed redevelopment guidelines.

The initial phase of implementation will focus on nine major urban and industrial centres in the NCR: Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi and Neemrana. The framework will benefit from CSIR-CRRI’s expertise in road engineering, standardisation and asset management, combined with SPA's proficiency in sustainable urban planning and green infrastructure.

The redevelopment model includes specific features such as designing road cross-sections based on road type and Right of Way (ROW) width, incorporating greening measures within the ROW to suppress dust, and deploying a Web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS) to ensure efficient maintenance. It also advocates the use of innovative technologies in road construction and upkeep to further control dust levels.

CSIR-CRRI and SPA will guide the PMC in manpower planning and provide technical supervision throughout the redevelopment process. A dedicated dashboard is also being developed to enable real-time, data-driven monitoring and assessment of progress across project sites.

The move comes shortly after CAQM enforced Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-I) in Delhi-NCR and neighbouring regions, following a deterioration in air quality. The decision was made after a meeting of the GRAP subcommittee last Saturday, which reviewed air quality trends, weather forecasts and the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi. The introduction of GRAP-I marks the beginning of stricter anti-pollution measures during the smog-prone season.

The latest redevelopment initiative is expected to complement GRAP actions by addressing one of the major contributors to Delhi-NCR’s air pollution: dust from unpaved roads and poorly maintained urban surfaces.