Delhi steps up road-cleaning drive as MCD awaits new mechanised sweepers

New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) expects to receive the first batch of additional mechanised road-sweeping machines (MRSMs) by mid-November, followed by 55 more machines in phases from the first week of December until the month-end, civic body Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar said.

According to the commissioner, the civic body has stepped up efforts to reduce road dust and tackle pollution in the national capital.

The machines will expand road-cleaning coverage across the city. The MCD is also using water sprinklers, anti-smog guns and jetting machines for the deep cleaning of roads, Khirwar said.

The civic body currently has 66 MRSMs and is also exploring the option of hiring additional machines to strengthen its operations, particularly in pollution hotspots.

“Of the 48 identified pollution hotspots, the MCD is focusing on sources such as road dust, encroachments and traffic congestion within a three-km radius,” the commissioner said.

The arrival of 70 MRSMs ordered by the civic body from Europe has been delayed due to the ongoing war in West Asia. These machines were expected to arrive in late October.

The MCD has also started deploying litter pickers to clear waste from vulnerable spots before it accumulates or is burnt in the open, the commissioner said.

To prevent open burning, the corporation has formed 125 squads and issued advisories to its field staff against burning waste, he said.

The commissioner added that the civic body was also installing cameras at its toll points to identify vehicles that do not meet the prescribed emission standards. Testing of the cameras is expected to begin next week.

“The cameras will use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, with vehicle details shared with the Delhi Police to strengthen enforcement against non-compliant vehicles,” Khirwar said.

He said support from the Delhi government had helped the corporation procure road-cleaning machines and litter pickers, besides improving solid waste collection and transportation.

In another initiative, the MCD is developing educational material to teach children about waste management and civic cleanliness through municipal schools.

The content will explain what happens to different kinds of waste after disposal, including how wet waste and plastic are processed and what ultimately reaches landfills or waste-to-energy plants.

The material is expected to be shared with municipal schools by the middle of next week, the commissioner added.