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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) this week for field offices across Delhi-NCR, covering both completed and ongoing highway stretches under its jurisdiction. The SOP lays out several actions: mechanised road sweeping, covering construction materials during transit, continuous water-sprinkling and use of anti-smog guns at construction sites, planting vegetation along medians using the Miyawaki method, and monitoring of air-quality indices as per the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and pollution control boards. It also assigns responsibilities to field officers, contractors and concessionaires, including audits, inspections, training and complaint redressal via the Green Delhi App.
The NHAI has rolled out a comprehensive SOP for its field offices in the Delhi-NCR region aimed at tackling air pollution generated from highway construction, road dust and vehicular emissions. Advertisement
The guidelines apply to all completed and under-construction national highway stretches under NHAI's jurisdiction in the region.
On highways that are already built, the SOP calls for mechanised road sweeping machines to be deployed; greening of medians and loop interchanges via regular plantations; and use of the Miyawaki method to create dense vegetation along highway corridors. Construction material being transported is to be covered with tarpaulin sheets, and regular road inspections and maintenance are mandated to keep roads pothole-free and minimise dust generation.
On active construction sites, the guidelines require use of anti-smog guns, continuous sprinkling of water throughout the day, and covering of construction materials with green nets to prevent particulate matter from becoming airborne. Air-quality indices at all project sites are to be monitored regularly, and the SOP mandates strict adherence to the CAQM and the central/state pollution control boards.
The SOP also emphasises sustainability: it encourages use of inert materials and reuse of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Responsibilities are spelled out clearly: NHAI field officers, authority engineers, contractors and concessionaires must carry out audits and inspections, organise training and awareness programmes for workers, and handle complaints via the Green Delhi app.
In a review meeting chaired by Alok Deepankar, Member (Technical) of NHAI, senior officials along with contractor and consultant representatives were instructed to mobilise manpower, equipment and resources on a "war footing" to control dust and vehicular pollution.
Previously, air pollution from construction activities on and around highway corridors in Delhi-NCR has been a cause for environmental concern, with road dust, uncovered transport of materials and vehicular emissions contributing to the region's deteriorating air quality. With this SOP, NHAI is codifying its efforts and signalling stronger monitoring and accountability.
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