Delhi government's dust pollution mitigation project to cost over Rs 2,000 crore

The
Delhi
government's comprehensive
road dust pollution mitigation
project is likely to cost Rs 2,388 crore over a period of 10 years, according to a proposal approved by the Cabinet.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had last month headed a meeting of the Cabinet, which approved a 'Pollution Control and Emergency Measures' project under which 250 water sprinkler machines fitted with
anti-smog guns
will be hired at an estimated cost of Rs 1,158 crore.
Besides, 70 mechanical road sweeping (
MRS
) machines fitted with 210 water sprinklers, water tankers and anti-smog guns will be hired at the cost Rs 1,230 crore for a period of seven years.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Dhoni's Exclusive Home Interior Choice?
HomeLane
Get Quote
Undo
One of these MRS machines was launched by the chief minister along with Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
The Public Works Department (PWD), which has been providing facilities for mechanically sweeping and sprinkling water on roads under its jurisdiction for the entire year except during the monsoon season, will execute this project, said officials.
Live Events
"This project is only for cleaning of dust in the carriageway, excluding cleaning of footpaths and greening of central verges. The machines under this project may be utilized in Delhi on a need basis for overall improvement of the city's ambient air quality," said the minutes of the meeting.
The efficiency of mechanical sweeping has been reported as 55 per cent effective in reducing PM-10 concentration in the air and it increases to 90 per cent efficacy if assisted by vacuum-assisted sweeping, according to a study done by IIT Kanpur in 2016.
The officials said that a similar plan was proposed last year by the Environment Department to hand over the work of dust suppression on main roads to the PWD.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (
MCD
), however, objected to the proposal stating it will execute the project as sanitation is its obligatory function, they added.
The officials said that the project was transferred to the MCD and added no funds were, however, spent.
"Hence, it has been decided with the approval of the chief minister and the environment minister that the project has faced considerable delays and given the importance of the project, the department has been directed to revise the Cabinet note for getting the work executed by the PWD," said the approved proposal.
The entire fleet will daily work in three shifts of eight hours each to execute the project efficiently, according to the plan, and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will provide 15,000 kiloliters of treated water per day free of cost to the PWD to operate water sprinklers and anti-smog guns.
The PWD manages 1,400 kilometres of main roads across the city. These roads, which witness substantial traffic movement, will initially be covered under this project with a scope for expansion to other roads.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Business Standard

22 minutes ago

• Business Standard

Yes Bank extends CEO's tenure by 6 months: Move to help SMBC steer strategy

The six-month extension given to Yes Bank chief Prashant Kumar aims to give incoming shareholder, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), room to decide the lender's leadership and strategy once the ownership changes, said industry insiders. The private-sector lender last week told exchanges the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had approved Kumar's extension as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) till October 6. However, Yes Bank did not say how long an extension it had sought for Kumar. Kumar has led the bank since its reconstruction in March 2020. He was first appointed the bank's administrator and later made the MD & CEO. Before that, he was deputy MD and chief financial officer of State Bank of India (SBI). Kumar received his first extension as Yes Bank MD & CEO in October 2022 for a three-year period. ALSO READ: RBI gives Yes Bank MD & CEO Prashant Kumar 6-month extension: Lender After SMBC announced that it will buy a 20 per cent stake in the private lender from SBI and others, reports said that Yes Bank's board is considering appointing a new MD & CEO and has engaged a headhunting agency to assist in the search. (SBI and other lenders had chipped in to reconstruct Yes Bank for over Rs 13,000 crore.) Kumar, over five years, has shifted the bank's focus from 'affluent' to 'mass affluent' customers and transformed its corporate-heavy book into largely retail, including MSME. Retail and SME books together constitute 60 per cent of its total loan book, compared to 36 per cent in March 2020. The bank's asset quality has improved with gross non-performing assets at 1.6 per cent at the end of March 2025, compared to almost 17 per cent at the end of March 2020. 'We are talking about the next five years because we have made the balance sheet strong enough, where the future earnings are not going to be impacted because of any past impact,' Kumar told 'Business Standard' last month. The RBI is allowing leeway for new shareholders to take their call about the bank's management, according to Abizer Diwanji, founder of NeoStrat Advisors LLP. The expectation seems to be that regulatory approvals will be secured in six months, allowing the new ownership (along with their representatives on the bank's board) to decide the bank's leadership. 'Under Kumar, the bank's retail strategy is yet to play out well. The cost-to-income ratio remains elevated, highlighting the need for more corrective measures on the retail front. Additionally, priority sector lending obligations have put pressure on margins, and key metrics like return on assets (RoA) and return on investment have shown limited improvement. That said, Kumar's conservative approach has helped keep asset quality at a manageable level,' said Diwanji. The bank aims to have a RoA of 1 per cent by FY27. In FY25, the RoA was at 0.6 per cent. It hopes to reach 1.5 per cent RoA in the next four-five years, Kumar had said previously. 'The bank has performed reasonably well, with shareholders — including SBI and other private sector banks — doubling their investment over the past five years. The six-month extension granted to the current MD & CEO provides flexibility to the new shareholder, SMBC, to decide on the leadership that will drive their strategic vision for the bank going forward,' said an industry expert, who did not wish to be named. 'Therefore, the shorter extension for the incumbent MD & CEO is likely not a reflection of performance, but rather a move to allow the new stakeholder greater flexibility in shaping the bank's future,' said the expert.

Time of India

23 minutes ago

• Time of India

Campus Fund launches $100 million third fund

Synopsis This is the largest fund so far of the Campus Fund, which invests in student-led startups. The fresh funds will be used to invest in 60-80 startups in the next four years, with initial cheques ranging from Rs 21 crore to Rs 28 crore. About 50% of the fund will be earmarked for follow-on investments.

Time of India

24 minutes ago

• Time of India

Mohali to get ‘Jail Bhawan' soon

1 2 3 Mohali: In a major step toward modernising Punjab's prison administration, the state government will construct a state-of-the-art head office for the jail department, named Jail Bhawan, in Mohali. Jail minister Laljit Singh Bhullar laid the foundation stone of the project on Friday. Speaking at the ceremony, Bhullar said the new headquarters would streamline administrative operations and centralise policymaking. "This is part of a broader reform agenda. While we continue to upgrade jails across Punjab with modern technology and infrastructure, a dedicated head office will significantly boost operational efficiency and coordination," he said. The Jail Bhawan will be in Sector 68, Mohali, on a one-acre plot, with a covered area of approximately 83,947 square feet. The project is estimated to cost Rs 35 crore. Although the scheduled completion date is April 2027, the minister has directed the contractor, ASC Builder, to complete the project by Dec 2026. The five-storey building, including a basement, will feature ultra-modern amenities such as escalators, lifts, firefighting and alarm systems, a local area network (LAN), central air conditioning, solar power generation units, and a sewage treatment plant (STP). It will also include parking space for up to 115 vehicles. Highlighting the financial prudence of the initiative, Bhullar noted that the new facility will save the department Rs 7 lakh per month, or Rs 84 lakh annually, currently spent on office rentals. "Beyond cost savings, this initiative represents a qualitative leap in how the jail department will operate going forward," he said. The minister reiterated that this would provide a modern and efficient working environment for jail officers and staff, reflecting the government's commitment to upgrading infrastructure for law enforcement and administrative departments.