As air pollution in Delhi escalates to the 'very poor' category, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has initiated a 24 by 7 deployment of machinery and staff. The council is also accelerating preparations to enhance its resources for more effective pollution control.

NDMC Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal provided details on the new measures being implemented.

Road And Pavement Cleaning

Mechanical Sweeping:

- The NDMC will add 13 new mechanical road sweeping machines to its fleet by the end of December.

- This new procurement includes five CNG-powered and four battery-operated small machines.

- Following this addition, the total number of sweeping machines will reach 17.

- This enhanced fleet will enable the NDMC to clean 220 to 230 kilometres of roads daily.

Market Cleaning:

- Pavements in markets are also being cleaned by machines.

- Night-time cleaning is currently underway in Connaught Place, Khan Market, and Sarojini Nagar.

- The NDMC plans to gradually extend these night cleaning operations to all 22 markets in its area.

Anti-Smog And Mist Spray Systems

Anti-Smog Guns:

  • The council is purchasing seven anti-smog guns.
  • These will be installed on high walls throughout the NDMC area.

Mist Sprays:

  • A pilot project is active on Lodhi Road, where mist sprays have been installed on electricity poles.
  • If this trial is successful, the NDMC plans to install these sprays on 24 roads in a phased manner.
  • Phase 1: Sprays will be installed on 10 roads in Chanakyapuri (such as Shanti Path and Nyay Marg) by December.
  • Phase 2: Mist sprays will be installed on the remaining 14 roads.

Future Procurement

To support the expanded operations, the NDMC will purchase additional equipment within the next five to seven months, including:

  • 10 additional water spray tankers
  • 5 jetting machines
  • 10 floor cleaning machines