New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday issued strict directives to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), instructing it to enforce mandatory dust-control measures at all ongoing construction sites across the national capital. In a high-level review meeting with senior Metro and government officials, she warned that “negligence in pollution control will not be tolerated” and emphasised that the government is operating in “war mode” to curb Delhi’s worsening air quality.
Gupta said the Metro must ensure that its construction activities do not contribute to dust pollution and that cleanliness is maintained under all elevated corridors. Expressing dissatisfaction over repeated public complaints, she said that heavy dust was rising from major construction points and that unfinished repair work around Metro sites was causing pollution and traffic disruptions. She added that heaps of garbage under elevated structures signalled “clear negligence” and remarked that it appeared the Metro used these spaces primarily for advertising while ignoring sanitation requirements.
The Chief Minister announced that she would soon conduct surprise inspections of construction sites, warning that “any negligence will lead to direct action.” She directed DMRC to adopt modern technologies for dust
suppression, cover all construction materials, ensure regular sprinkling of water, and prevent soil or debris from spilling onto public roads.
Following her directions, the Delhi Metro issued a statement outlining special anti-pollution drives underway across its construction stretches. These include dust-reduction measures, road-dust removal, garbage clearance from footpaths and medians, and restoration of damaged infrastructure. A drive conducted between Azadpur and Ashok Vihar on Friday involved cleaning, repairing footpaths and roads, and ensuring that wheel-wash facilities were operational and construction materials were adequately covered.
DMRC said it currently manages around 19 km of city roads temporarily taken over for construction work and has repaired them to prevent pollution. It stated that over 100 anti-smog guns have been deployed across sites and that daily inspections are being conducted to ensure full compliance with environmental norms.