Union Minister Bhupender Yadav oversaw the signing of four MoUs between NCR states and specialized institutes for paving and greening urban roads. The agreements involve the Public Works Department (PWD)/Urban Development Departments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, along with CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA).
These MoUs align with the standard framework for urban road paving and greening set by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the NCR and surrounding areas. The framework focuses on enhancing road cross-sections, right-of-way (RoW) utilization, green initiatives, and road maintenance protocols across the region.
The initiative emphasizes coordinated efforts to address dust pollution from roads and open spaces in the Delhi-NCR region. Minister Yadav highlighted the necessity for structured action plans to combat air pollution, with a specific focus on controlling dust, a significant contributor to PM10 pollution in the area.
Yadav stressed the importance of planting water-efficient bushes in open spaces and mapping roads most impacted by traffic congestion and dust pollution. He commended the collaborative work of CAQM, NCR state governments, CSIR-CRRI, and SPA in implementing long-term strategies to tackle dust pollution effectively.
The Minister called for timely execution and robust digital monitoring of greening activities on roads. He urged CSIR-CRRI and SPA to integrate green components into their road designs and suggested undertaking such initiatives as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs in the NCR.
