Delhi implementing comprehensive strategy to tackle pollution: Centre

Delhi is implementing a comprehensive strategy to tackle air pollution with a focus on reducing dust pollution and emissions from transport and firecrackers, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Wednesday.

Delhi currently boasts a fleet of 7,041 buses, including 4,088 Delhi Transport Corporation buses and 2,953 cluster buses. These include 456 e-buses and 94 mini electric buses.

To bolster public transport and reduce individual vehicle emissions, the city plans to add 850 more buses by September 2023 and an additional 650 by March 2024, the Centre's air quality panel said.

As of September 23, Delhi has 943 operational Pollution Under Control certification stations and a staggering 33.56 lakh PUC certificates have been issued.

In a bid to promote eco-friendly mobility, Delhi has seen a surge in the registration of electric vehicles with more than 2.38 lakh EVs registered as of September 22, the CAQM said in a statement.

The city currently has 3,100 charging stations, 4,793 charging points and 318 swapping stations. Plans are in place to establish a total of 18,000 public and 30,000 private or semi-public charging stations by 2025, it said.

Efforts to control dust pollution include the deployment of 83 mechanical road sweeping (MRS) machines that collectively sweep approximately 2,700 km of roads daily.

Also, 320 water sprinklers are used daily, covering an average of 2,600 km of roads. Plans are underway to expand the capacity and intensify the use of mechanised road sweeping and water sprinkling, the CAQM said.

It said Delhi has positioned 389 anti-smog guns (ASGs) to control dust around buildings, roads and open areas with more than 90 high-rise buildings identified for ASG installation.

Both government and private high-rise structures are included in this initiative.

Multiple government departments have been tasked with identifying additional high-rise buildings for ASG deployment.

The Delhi government has emphasised the strict enforcement of government and court orders regarding the storage, sale and use of firecrackers. This is especially important this year as several festivals coincide with the peak paddy harvesting season in northern India.