New Delhi, Oct 26: Aiming to control air pollution, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is preparing to install pole-mounted ‘Mist Sprayers’ in Connaught Place and Khan Market, Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal said on Sunday
Speaking at the launch of the second phase of the ‘Mist Sprayer Project’ in key areas such as Shanti Path and Africa Avenue, Chahal said that the initiative is inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’ and represents another strong step towards keeping the NDMC area clean, green, and pollution-free.
Chahal said that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR continues to remain in the ‘very poor’ category, with several areas falling under the red zone. Considering the gravity of the situation, NDMC has launched a special pollution control campaign focused on dust suppression, smog reduction, greenery enhancement, and public participation.
He emphasised that this initiative is an important step towards providing citizens with a cleaner and healthier environment.
He explained that mist sprayers installed on electric poles spray fine water droplets into the air, helping dust and pollutants settle and thereby improving air quality.
The system has proven highly effective in densely populated and high-traffic areas. These sprayers also aid in maintaining roadside plants and help use treated water.
He informed that the first phase of the project was implemented on Lodhi Road, where 15 mist sprayers were installed across a 500-meter stretch at an approximate cost of Rs 34 lakh.
The initiative received positive feedback from both citizens and experts. Encouraged by this success, the second phase has now been launched at Shanti Path and Africa Avenue, with plans to expand the system across the NDMC area in the coming months.
He added that in the next phase, mist sprayers will be installed on 24 major roads of the Council area at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore. Additionally, the system will be extended to Connaught Place (Inner and Outer Circles) and Khan Market.
At Africa Avenue, 30 electric poles have been equipped with sprayers along an 850-meter stretch. Each pole has five nozzles, and each nozzle has six tiny holes, enabling 30 spray points per pole.
Every pole uses approximately 84 litres of treated water per hour, supported by four 5,000-litre storage tanks. A similar setup has been installed along a 900-meter stretch of Shanti Path with 32 poles, and both locations are now fully operational and performing effectively.
Chahal mentioned that NDMC has already implemented several modern pollution control measures. GPS-enabled Mechanical Road Sweepers are deployed for road cleaning and monitored through the Smart City Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
Additionally, anti-smog guns and mist spray machines are regularly used. To maintain roadside plants, treated water tankers with 5,000-10,000 litre capacity are utilised to prevent wastage of fresh water, he said.
–IANS