Gurugram residents play ‘Holi’ with dust in protest against pollution on SPR

Gurugram residents protested dust pollution by playing with soil, urging officials to enforce construction norms for better air quality amid rising health risks.

Gurugram: Residents from different parts of Gurugram on Wednesday marked a symbolic Holi by playing with dust and soil near the drainage area along the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) near Vatika Chowk to draw attention to the environmental and health risks caused by dust pollution.

Residents also alleged that accumulated dust along the SPR has not been cleared (HT)

Senior professionals from various industries who participated in the protest said dust pollution in Gurugram was no longer a seasonal issue but had become structural in nature. “The concern may appear distant or invisible, but the dust travels close and far, entering homes and lungs every day,” said Gauri Sarin, founder of Making Model Gurugram.

Sarin urged civic bodies and pollution control boards, such as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), to ensure effective construction management norms and strict enforcement to curb worsening air quality levels.

Residents also alleged that despite repeated complaints and high pollution readings, accumulated dust along the SPR has not been cleared. Areas around sectors 69, 70 and 71 were flagged as among the worst affected, with participants warning that the onset of summer could trigger dust storms, making the city even less breathable.

Anuj Mathur, executive member of Tulip Purple RWA in Sector 69, said there is a considerable amount of dust across Gurugram, especially on the SPR and in sectors 69, 70, and 71. “We request GMDA and the civic authorities to kindly assist in removing the mounds of mud lying along the roads and to help with regular sweeping of the roads,” he said.

Responding to the concerns, officials from the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority said corrective measures are underway. Amit Godara, executive engineer at GMDA, said the unpaved stretch along Golf Course Extension Road from Vatika Chowk to Ghata Chowk will be tiled. “An estimate has been prepared and tenders will be invited soon. The work will be completed within six months of the tender being awarded. Once done, waterlogging will stop, dust will not be a problem and traffic flow will improve,” he said.

Officials added that GMDA is taking up the necessary measures to mitigate dust at its construction sites. Covering of excavated soil and water sprinkling activities are being carried out, especially near the traffic-prone areas. Any other areas where any such measures are to be done will be taken up by the team.

Faisal Ibrahim, superintending engineer in GMDA’s infrastructure wing, said maintenance of link roads using pavement blocks to stabilise shoulders and prevent loose soil from spreading is in full swing. “Regular meetings are being held to ensure road sanitation as per CAQM directions. Potholes will be repaired and bitumen layering work will also be carried out,” he said.

According to officials, additional road stretches where work is expected to begin soon include the Sector 14 connecting road, Old Basai Road and the stretch from IFFCO Chowk to Sukhrali.

PC Meena, CEO of GMDA, has also directed officials to prepare estimates for patchwork and long-term rebuilding of damaged stretches, for which technical assessments are currently underway.