Delhi’s war on dust: Why city’s pollution hotspots remain a challenge

NEW DELHI: An examination of road dust, construction violations, mechanical sweeping and whether Delhi’s civic agencies are addressing the sources of pollution or merely suppressing it after it becomes visible.

Delhi’s annual battle against air pollution has brought a familiar set of interventions to its roads: water sprinklers, anti-smog guns, mechanical road sweepers and intensified cleaning drives. Yet, despite these measures, dust continues to accumulate along roads, construction material remains a concern, and civic agencies face questions over enforcement. The challenge is not simply to remove dust from the streets but to prevent it from becoming airborne in the first place.

Recent reports reveal a gap between the scale of Delhi’s dust-control efforts and the persistent problems on the ground. While government agencies are expanding their equipment and targeting identified pollution hotspots, studies and inspections point to poor road conditions, inadequate mechanised cleaning, uncovered construction material and illegal dumping as continuing sources of pollution.

The central question is whether the capital is moving from visible dust suppression to sustained control of the sources. The hotspots: Where does the dust come from?