The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has unveiled a comprehensive plan with a budget of ₹523 crore to combat dust pollution in the capital. The proposal, already cleared by the MCD Commissioner, awaits budget sanction from the Delhi government.
The plan includes procuring 60 mechanical road sweepers designed for roads 40-60 feet wide. A sum of ₹516.3 crore has been earmarked for purchasing these sweepers and covering their maintenance costs for ten years under an outsourcing model.
In addition to road sweepers, the MCD intends to upgrade existing Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste sites with metal barricades, display boards, water sprinklers, CCTV cameras, and air quality sensors, for which a request of ₹7.1 crore has been made.
According to an MCD official, the plan was developed following a meeting with Delhi's environment department on September 17, 2025, where the MCD was tasked with reducing dust emissions, streamlining operations at C&D waste collection centers, and acquiring sweepers suitable for 40-60ft roads. The official also mentioned an initial proposal for deploying 60 vacuum-based, battery-operated litter-picker machines for a year, costing ₹8.7 crore. However, this proposal was not approved.
Currently, the MCD operates 52 road sweepers on roads wider than 60ft, with staff monitoring their routes online in shifts. While 24 of these machines are equipped with GPS systems monitored by the IT department, the remaining 28 are supervised by engineers. The central and south zones have the highest deployment, with seven machines each. The MCD has also requested 18 additional machines for these wider stretches.
The MCD also plans to form teams to oversee dust mitigation measures such as water sprinkling, monitoring open burning, preventing illegal dumping, and addressing unsanitary conditions during winter. A meeting is scheduled for October 9, 2025, to discuss dust mitigation steps with various departments. As of May 2025, the MCD had planned to engage 180 water sprinklers on roads, with 140 actively in use. To enhance coverage, there are plans to upgrade 40 water tankers for this purpose.
Challenges exist in deploying sweepers on narrower roads (30-60ft) due to traffic and parking issues. An MCD official noted that the environment department is best positioned to assess the actual impact of these sweepers on air quality, adding that operating road sweepers near air quality monitoring stations has not significantly improved readings during winter.
In April 2025, the MCD established sanitation squads in each of its 12 zones, deploying specialized vehicles equipped with dashboards and GPS to ensure efficient waste management. These vehicles, staffed with officials, conduct surprise inspections and can issue fines for littering, monitor private agency personnel, and oversee garbage collection.
Delhi's air quality typically fluctuates between "Good" to "Moderate" from March to September, but deteriorates to "Poor" to "Hazardous" levels between October and February due to factors like stubble burning, road dust, vehicle pollution, and cold weather.
