Mist sprayers installed on over 1,100 Delhi poles to curb dust pollution

Data available till April 29 shows that of the 2,524 poles identified for installation, work has been completed on 1,160 so far, with at least 90 more expected to be operationalised in the next three months, officials said

Mist sprayers have been operationalised on more than 1,100 electric poles across key arterial roads, including Lodhi Road, Africa Avenue and Shanti Path by Delhi’s road-owning agencies, transport and civic bodies, as part of a citywide plan of the Delhi government to curb dust pollution at source, officials said on Thursday.

The water consumption by a mist sprayer is around one litre per minute. These systems are operated as per CAQM guidelines in three shifts of three hours each. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

They added that tenders have already been awarded for Feroz Shah Road, Shankar Road, Mandir Marg and Barakhamba Road.

These installations have been carried out under the Delhi’s government’s larger plan, which entails that road-owning agencies install mist sprayers on over 2,500 electric poles across the city.

Data available till April 29 shows that of the 2,524 poles identified for installation, work has been completed on 1,160 so far, with at least 90 more expected to be operationalised in the next three months, officials said.

“Work is progressing rapidly, with different agencies installing these sprayers across the city. With dust being the major source of pollution in summer months, our aim is to control it at source along roads,” said Delhi’s environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, adding that each nozzle sprays mist every 20 to 30 seconds.

“This ensures a constant source of water that settles pollutants,” he added.

A government official said the average cost per pole is ₹1.40 lakh and around ₹32 lakh is required to cover a kilometre. However, instructions have been issued to all road-owning agencies to ensure judicious use of water. “During periods of high heat, the sprayers will not be used to conserve water. Overall, the goal is to reduce PM10 levels,” the official added.

A pilot for the mist sprayers was launched by Delhi LG in Dwarka in December 2024, with another pilot completed on a 550-metre stretch of Lodhi Road in June last year.

The latest data shows the DDA has installed 204 mist sprayers along 11.8km of roads, with 66 more to be installed, likely by July, a government official said, adding that the next stretch being targeted is Dwarka’s Sector 8.

The PWD has covered 8.45 km of roads with 681 devices and has no plans for further installations at present, except on Barapullah Phase-3 after completion of civil works.

Data further showed that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has installed mist sprayers at 131 metro stations, while IGI Airport has installed them at 120 locations.

Some key metro stations where mist spray systems have been installed include Mayur Vihar-1, Laxmi Nagar, Nirman Vihar, Preet Vihar, Anand Vihar, RK Ashram, Kashmere Gate, Dwarka Sector 21, Rajouri Garden, Pitampura, Rithala, Ghitorni, Karol Bagh, Moti Nagar, Moti Bagh and Badarpur, among others.

“The water consumption by a mist sprayer is around one litre per minute. These systems are operated as per CAQM guidelines in three shifts of three hours each,” said a DMRC official, adding that 30 anti-smog guns have also been installed at 26 elevated stations.

At the airport, sprayers have been installed near the Airbus office close to Terminal 3, officials said. “A total of 120 such mist sprayers are active on both sides of the road,” an airport official said.

In the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area, 77 of the planned 1,323 poles have been covered so far. Tenders have been awarded for roads such as Shankar Road, Copernicus Marg, Prithviraj Road, RK Ashram Marg and Aurobindo Marg, among around 20 major roads.

Work is currently underway on Shah Jahan Road. NDMC is also considering installations at Khan Market, Hanuman Mandir and Connaught Place’s Inner and Outer circles.