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Delhi’s government has announced an ambitious plan to repair all potholes in the capital and surrounding NCR within 72 hours, while cracking down on industrial pollution, vehicle compliance, and dust-generating construction to improve air quality.
Plan also involves hiring vacuum-based litter pickers and monitoring roads.
New Delhi: Potholes may appear as a minor inconvenience to commuters, but they significantly contribute to Delhi-NCR’s pollution problem. Every pothole on a road disrupts smooth traffic flow, causing vehicles to slow down or stop frequently. This stop-and-go pattern leads to higher fuel consumption and increased emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which aggravate air quality.
Additionally, potholes kick up dust from the road surface, especially during dry months, creating fine particulate matter that enters the air we breathe. These particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, posing severe health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Construction debris and loose soil around potholes add to this problem. Experts have long stressed that addressing potholes promptly not only improves traffic efficiency but also reduces dust pollution, making urban air safer.
Recognizing this, Delhi’s government has mandated that all potholes in the capital and NCR should be filled within 72 hours. The Public Works Department will lead the repair work, while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will deploy water sprinklers to minimize dust at construction and demolition sites.
Alongside pothole repairs, the government has targeted industrial pollution. Any unit contributing to environmental degradation must comply with pollution control standards within 20 days or face fines and operational restrictions. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee will begin issuing challans immediately to ensure enforcement.
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Vehicle emissions are another key focus. Owners of Bharat Stage 2 and 3 vehicles must complete mandatory pollution under control tests. Trucks with engines below BS-4 standards will be seized if operating in Delhi-NCR. These measures aim to cut harmful emissions from outdated and non-compliant vehicles, which remain a major source of urban air pollution.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will establish a committee of experts and scientists to review environmental strategies regularly. Recommendations will include increasing green cover, planting trees in barren parks, and introducing measures to reduce microplastic and frothing pollution in the Yamuna river, as highlighted in a recent TERI report.
The government also plans to hire at least 1,000 vacuum-based litter pickers within 45 days to improve urban cleanliness. Permission will be required for any dust-generating work such as road repairs and large-scale construction, ensuring accountability and monitoring.
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Minister Sirsa criticized previous governments for failing to address pollution effectively, claiming that initiatives like the odd-even traffic plan were inadequate. He emphasized that the new government’s approach focuses on comprehensive, long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes.
Delhi-NCR’s fight against pollution is entering a new phase with measures targeting potholes, industrial emissions, vehicle compliance, and construction dust. The 72-hour pothole repair plan is a key step in reducing dust and improving traffic efficiency, demonstrating that even small infrastructure fixes can have a major impact on environmental health.
