14 Metro projects penalised for ‘violating’ dust norms

Cracking the whip on construction projects across the city, the Delhi government has penalised 14 Delhi Metro sites and 42 major projects for flouting dust pollution norms, imposing on them environmental compensation charge of Rs 50,000 each.

Nearly all the Metro sites to have been penalised are part of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) third phase expansion, and more specifically the upcoming stations of the proposed Pink Line (Line 7) that will connect Mukundpur to Shiv Vihar.

Some of the upcoming station sites (including extensions of existing ones) in this regard are South Ex, INA, Sarojini Nagar, Bhikaji Cama Place, Moti Bagh, and South Campus.

A report by IIT Kanpur on Delhi’s air quality has identified soil and road dust as the single biggest source (38 per cent) of PM 2.5, fine respirable particles that harm the respiratory system. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) maintained that it takes a number of measures for having proper air quality near its construction sites, scattered across the city, and will further “reassess” the situation.