New Delhi: The Delhi government on Thursday stepped up its anti-pollution drive with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inspecting the newly installed mist spray system at ITO, one of the capital’s busiest and most polluted intersections. Emphasising the urgency of the situation, the Chief Minister said the administration was working “on a war footing against pollution” and was committed to identifying “effective solutions to every source and aspect contributing to pollution.”
During her inspection, she reviewed the technical functioning of the mist spray unit, which has been mounted on electricity poles and operates using high-pressure pumps and RO-treated water to disperse ultra-fine mist aimed at settling dust and particulate matter. The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure that the system functions strictly as per schedule and delivers measurable results. She added that active public involvement was essential for long-term success, stating that “public participation is vital to achieving swift and lasting control over pollution.”
CM Gupta was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Ashish Sood and senior officials from departments concerned with pollution management. She noted that a “comprehensive plan is being prepared to keep all roads in Delhi permanently free from dust and waste.” Referring to the longstanding demand for water sprinklers, the Chief Minister said pilot experiments conducted in the NDMC area had yielded encouraging outcomes. “Several provisions have been made,” she said, adding that the government is now scaling up efforts across the capital.
The mist spray system at ITO is among the first of over 300 installations planned across nine major pollution hotspots identified by the government. Gupta said the ITO installation had shown “encouraging initial results,” and added that similar systems would soon be operational across other pollution-prone corridors in a phased rollout.
The Chief Minister also said that agencies such as the MCD, NHAI and PWD had been instructed to take “effective action within their respective jurisdictions.” She urged residents to actively use the MCD 311 mobile application, which has been strengthened as the city’s central grievance redressal platform. “Citizens are encouraged to report issues such as potholes, dust, or any severe pollution-related problem,” she said, adding that all departments had been directed to resolve complaints within 72 hours.