The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) today reviewed the progress of the Special Campaign for Removal of Legacy Dust being undertaken across all 12 Zones of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The Commission directed that the campaign should continue as a sustained and phased exercise with periodic repetition, continuous monitoring and regular maintenance, rather than as a one-time initiative. It also emphasised the need to strengthen inter-agency coordination, address identified gaps in a time-bound manner and intensify dust mitigation measures for effective control of air pollution in Delhi.

The review meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Shri Tarun Kumar Pithode, Member Secretary, CAQM. Deputy Commissioners (DCs)/representatives of all the MCD Zones presented the status of implementation, achievements, challenges encountered and the way forward. The meeting formed part of the follow-up mechanism pursuant to the CAQM letter issued on 11.05.2026. It directed Dust Control and Management Cells (DCMCs) in Delhi to undertake a special campaign for identification, removal and scientific disposal of legacy dust from roads, roadsides, medians, footpaths and other associated areas under their jurisdiction.

The Commission reviewed the dust mitigation measures undertaken by all MCD Zones, including mechanized road sweeping, manual cleaning, water sprinkling, removal of accumulated dust and debris, deployment of sanitation workers and close on-ground monitoring. The zone-wise progress is as follows:

S. No.	MCD Zone	Duration of dust removal	Total Road Length Covered (in Kilometres)	Legacy Dust / Waste Removed (in Metric Tonne)
1.	Rohini Zone	01.01.2026 – 26.07.2026	24,486 kms.	2,950.40 MT
2.	Outer North Zone	01.03.2026 – 28.07.2026	8,057 kms.	948.66 MT
3.	Najafgarh Zone	05.06.2026 – 25.07.2026	24.5 kms.	270 MT
4.	Keshav Puram Zone	18.05.2026 – 29.05.2026	117.5 kms.	218 MT
5.	Civil Lines Zone	01.05.2026 – 26.07.2026	128 kms.	95.65 MT
6.	Old Delhi Zone	18.05.2026 – 27.07.2026	179.4 kms.	386.4 MT
7.	Karol Bagh Zone	18.05.2026 – 27.06.2026	122 kms.	378 MT
8.	Central Zone	12.05.2026 – 28.07.2026	240 kms./ day	12.8 MT/ day
9.	West Zone	01.06.2026 – 28.07.2026	10,137.5 kms.	638.5 MT
10.	Shahdara South Zone	01.05.2026 – 26.07.2026	150 kms.	135.89 MT
11.	Shahdara North Zone	06.06.2026 – 28.07.2026	81.7 kms.	906.8 MT
12.	South Zone	01.06.2026 – 30.06.2026	05 kms./ day	623.49 MT

The DCs/representatives highlighted several operational challenges during the campaign. They included the limited utility of Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) on roads less than nine metres wide due to parked vehicles. Further, overflow of water during irrigation of central verges by other agencies led to repeated deposition of soil and dust on carriageways, absence of end-to-end paving on several road stretches resulted in recurring dust generation, and continued littering despite the availability of adequate waste bins.

The need for sustained Information, Education and Communication (IEC) initiatives to promote behavioural change among citizens was also emphasised. The Commission advised that IEC activities should be intensified to promote citizen participation and responsibility. It also called for regular capacity-building and training workshops for sanitation workers to enhance operational efficiency, in accordance with the Framework for targeted IEC activities by NCR States and GNCTD for abatement of air pollution, issued by CAQM on 03.03.2026.

CAQM further emphasised that all concerned agencies should prioritise end-to-end paving and greening of roads in accordance with the Standard Framework issued by the Commission on 07.01.2025, to eliminate exposed soil and prevent recurring dust generation. It also stressed the need for plantation and landscaping using suitable soil-trapping plant species to minimise soil erosion and reduce dust re-suspension instead of excessive concretisation of open areas.

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