Air 'Very Poor', Delhi Authority Discourages Event Bookings At Its Open Spaces

With Delhi's air quality stuck in the "very poor" category, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is discouraging bookings of its open spaces for events and stepping up efforts to keep dust from adding to the city's pollution.

Water sprinklers, anti-smog guns and road-sweeping machines have been deployed across areas under its control. In Dwarka alone, the authority has built a network of 270 misting poles stretching nearly 12 km.

The announcement comes as Delhi recorded a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 369 on Thursday, compared with 377 on Wednesday. The city has remained in the "very poor" category for four straight days, and forecasters have warned that pollution could turn "severe" from Friday through Sunday.

The DDA said it was trying to avoid booking its open spaces for events wherever possible during the pollution period. It has not announced a blanket ban on such bookings.

The measures are being monitored under the supervision of Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the authority said.

270 Poles, 30 Nozzles Each

In Dwarka, the misting network now stretches 11.8 km. It includes a new 3-km section with 66 poles in Sector 8, connected to the existing system along major roads.

Each pole has 30 nozzles that spray fine droplets of water to settle airborne dust. The system operates for 10 to 15 minutes every hour from 7 am to 11 am and again from 4 pm to 8 pm.

The DDA has also begun the process of deploying seven water sprinklers in Dwarka. Road cleaning there falls under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

In Narela, two mechanised road-sweeping machines and seven sprinklers have been deployed. In Rohini, mechanised cleaning covers about 166 km of roads on alternate days, along with footpaths and cycle tracks.

Four sprinklers and a fixed anti-smog gun are being used in the North Zone. The South Zone has seven sprinklers, three anti-smog guns and seven teams to check activities that generate dust.

Checks On Burning, Debris Dumping

Enforcement teams have been formed to prevent open burning and the dumping of construction debris. Officials have also been asked to ensure that sand, cement and other building materials are covered, and to respond to complaints received through the DDA 311, Green Delhi and SAMEER apps.

The authority says it has planted over 21.24 lakh plants in parks, green belts and along roadsides during the current financial year. It has also covered 143 acres of bare patches in parks with grass and greened another 8 km of roadside stretches to prevent loose soil from becoming dust.

The anti-pollution drive comes as Stage II curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan remain in force across Delhi-NCR.