Delhi expands pollution hot spots to 62 as ministers launch field inspections

The citywide campaign mapped 500 civic-deficiency points, while daily inspections and stricter action against erring agencies were ordered to improve conditions.

Delhi has expanded its list of critical pollution hot spots from 13 to 62 high-dust and high-traffic points, all of which are now under continuous monitoring as part of intensified winter pollution-control efforts, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday. However, the government has not yet released the comprehensive list identifying all 62 hot spots.

Officials said the effort is a structural overhaul aimed at lasting gains in waste management, dust control and overall sanitation during peak pollution season. (Vipin Kumar/HT)

Officials said the new hot spots were identified based on congestion patterns, dust-load assessments, and road conditions. The expansion coincided with a citywide sanitation and dust-control drive launched on Saturday, during which all cabinet ministers conducted on-ground inspections of vulnerable stretches, garbage hot spots and high-emission corridors. The push aligns with the chief minister’s plan to reduce pollution through sustained field action, they added.

“For several years, Delhi has been counting only 13 hot spots, which were never relooked at. We have now identified 62 more pollution hot spots with help from the traffic police. These are areas with high dust accumulation, mostly because of congestion, vehicular load and the bad condition of these roads. We are taking focused action in all these areas,” Sirsa said.

Sirsa reviewed sanitation and dust-control measures across parts of Vasant Kunj and Mahipalpur, including the Bhatnagar School stretch, Masoodpur Dairy, the pet clinic area near MCD LIG flats, the road outside Ryan International School, and the Mahipalpur Chowk–Vasant Valley School corridor. Carrying “before” photographs, he verified improvements and directed officials to address manpower shortages, machinery gaps and low cleaning frequency. He also responded to citizen complaints on X, sharing images of corrective action.

Urban development minister Ashish Sood inspected Ward 95 in Rajouri Garden, where residents reported irregular garbage collection and foul-smelling waste piles. Sood said the government has released ₹175 crore in special assistance to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to ensure timely contractor payments and stabilise sanitation operations. He warned of strict action against agencies failing to maintain garbage hotspots and said Cabinet-level proposals are being prepared to provide additional financial support to the MCD.

“In the last two and a half years, several incorrect contracts were awarded, and mismanagement occurred, due to which the functioning of the corporation deteriorated, directly affecting the city’s sanitation system. We are trying to rectify this disorder. Preparing the budget, making estimates, and completing the tender process take time, but the Delhi Government is fully committed to restoring the city’s sanitation system responsibly,” Sood said.

PWD and water minister Parvesh Verma reviewed conditions in Kotla Mubarakpur, where the government has mapped 500 spots with civic deficiencies, he said. Verma instructed departments to expedite road repairs, keep public toilets clean and clear accumulated waste.

In northeast Delhi, development minister Kapil Mishra launched the cleanliness campaign at Ghonda Chowk, where 37 garbage points have been identified. Mishra said these spots will undergo daily morning inspections.

Social welfare minister and northwest Delhi in-charge Ravinder Indraj Singh inspected sanitation and civic facilities in Rohini, directing officials to repair drainage systems to eliminate waterlogging near service bastis and remove encroachment from DDA land.

Officials said the citywide effort is intended as a structural reform of waste management and dust control to deliver “visible, measurable and lasting” improvements in Delhi’s air quality and sanitation systems.