Ghaziabad recorded the highest air pollution level among NCR cities for the second consecutive day as the municipal corporation prepared to spend Rs 134.85 crore on road repairs, dust control, greenery and enforcement measures. The city’s AQI stood at 222 on Saturday, higher than readings recorded in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram, according to a report by Live Hindustan – NCR.
The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation’s plan includes repairing roads, installing tiles along roadside sections to prevent dust from rising, purchasing additional water-sprinkling vehicles and developing green belts across the city. The corporation has already started installing tiles along several roads, while tenders have been issued for road repair work and making roads pothole-free.
Municipal Commissioner Vikramaditya Singh Malik has directed officials from the construction, health and horticulture departments to take stricter steps to control pollution. The proposed enforcement action includes penalties for open waste burning and activities that generate dust. The corporation is also preparing to take action against vehicles found contributing to pollution, according to Mayor Sunita Dayal.
The corporation currently has around 16 vehicles engaged in spraying water on roads. It plans to purchase another four to five vehicles to expand the dust-suppression operation. The civic body is also carrying out water sprinkling on roads as part of its pollution-control measures.
The green-belt programme will cover dividers and roadside spaces on major roads, where grass will be planted to reduce loose dust. The corporation also plans to increase greenery inside wards by planting grass and saplings along roadsides. Work is planned across the green belts in all five municipal zones.
The AQI reading of 222 placed Ghaziabad second in the country in the reported comparison and made it the most polluted city in the NCR on Saturday. Despite monitoring and road-cleaning claims, dust continued to be visible on several roads, including in Raj Nagar Extension, Vaishali, Indirapuram, Vijay Nagar and Siddharth Vihar. The report also said that construction sites operated by departments were violating pollution-control rules.
Open waste burning was reported in Patel Nagar on Saturday. Ankit Singh, regional officer of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, said letters had been sent to departments regarding compliance with pollution-control rules. He said monitoring would be intensified and action would follow. The municipal corporation’s next steps include carrying out the tendered road repairs, expanding water sprinkling and implementing green-belt works across the five zones.