'Fix All Potholes In 72 Hours': Delhi Govt Unveils Aggressive Anti-Pollution Plan
Measures include water sprinklers, expert committees, BS-4 vehicle restrictions, and vacuum litter pickers. The government blames past administrations for pollution, while air quality remains "very poor".
All potholes across the Delhi–National Capital Region (NCR) must be repaired within 72 hours, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Wednesday as the government rolled out a sweeping set of emergency and long-term measures to combat worsening air pollution. The move comes amid concerns that potholes generate heavy dust and slow traffic, leading to increased fuel consumption and higher emissions.
Sirsa also issued a strict 20-day deadline for industrial units in Delhi to comply with pollution norms, warning that non-compliant units will face closure along with financial penalties. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is currently at Level 2 in the capital, with more stringent curbs expected if air quality continues to deteriorate.
Road Repairs, Sprinklers and Expert Committee
The Public Works Department will carry out pothole repairs, while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will deploy water sprinklers at construction and demolition sites to suppress dust. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will also constitute a committee of experts and scientists to recommend pollution-control measures at regular intervals through meetings chaired by her.
Thanking voters for the mandate, Sirsa said the government was committed to development-driven governance. “It’s a historic win for us. The people of Delhi believe in development, and today’s decisions reflect that trust,” he said. He also announced that water sprinklers will be installed in NCR cities such as Faridabad, Gurugram and Ghaziabad. For the long term, local bodies have been asked to focus on large-scale tree plantation with public participation, and barren parks will be assessed for developing green cover.
Strict Action on Vehicles, Construction Dust and Polluting Units
Owners of Bharat Stage 2 and Stage 3 vehicles have been directed to undergo mandatory Pollution Under Control (PUC) tests. Trucks with engines below BS-4 standards will be barred from operating in Delhi-NCR and seized if found violating the rules. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee will begin issuing challans to polluting units from Wednesday itself.
Sirsa said dust-generating activities such as road repairs and large construction projects will now require government permission. The MCD has also been directed to hire at least 1,000 vacuum-based litter pickers within 45 days. The minister blamed the previous Congress and Aam Aadmi Party governments for failing to curb pollution and dismissed the odd-even traffic scheme as ineffective. He also alleged political motives behind the Opposition’s criticism of the government.
On Tuesday, the environment department reviewed a TERI report on microplastics and frothing in the Yamuna. The Delhi government is setting up a high-level monitoring panel under the chief minister, comprising cabinet ministers, department officials, and scientific experts. All departments have also been instructed to strictly enforce penalties on individuals, private entities and government agencies for pollution violations.
Air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category for the third straight day on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index recorded at 333 at 5:30 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. Nehru Nagar reported the highest AQI at 388, while Mandir Marg recorded the lowest at 236.
Meanwhile, the Centre has directed authorities in Delhi-NCR to take strict action against highly polluting industries that fail to install real-time emission monitoring systems and air pollution control devices by December 31. CPCB Chairman Vir Vikram Yadav said 2,254 such industries are yet to connect their Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems to the CPCB server and warned of closure for non-compliance. States in the NCR have also been asked to finalise their 2026 air pollution control plans within a month, PTI reported.
Separately, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday advised a petitioner seeking urgent pollution-control measures to approach the Supreme Court, noting that the apex court is already monitoring the situation and issuing directions. Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya observed that a similar matter is pending before the top court, according to Live Law.
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