 "500 km of bad roads: Delhi govt's increasing pollution woes")
Rising pollution levels in Delhi during the winter season is a perennial issue and one of the factors worsening the situation is deteriorating condition of roads, which leads to respiratory problems for its residents.
As the winter approaches this year, pollution levels have already gone up, leading to the implementation of Level 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is activated when the Air Quality Index is between 201 and 300.
A recent survey by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) highlighted that nearly 500 km of roads in Delhi are in a poor state, worsening the pollution crisis in Delhi-national capital region (NCR). The MCD, which is tasked with maintaining approximately 15,000 km of roads, faces persistent financial difficulties and the absence of a standing committee, which have stalled necessary repairs, the report said.
Reports show that only about 68 km of road repairs were carried out from April to September this year.
Opposition criticises administration
The ongoing situation has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition. Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the MCD and former mayor, criticised the current administration for its inadequate efforts to maintain cleanliness and combat pollution in the national capital. He said that the damaged roads in Delhi and large heaps of garbage are the major contributors to dust pollution.
Singh accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of neglecting local issues impacting air quality for the past decade. He claimed that residents are frustrated with the MCD and AAP's lack of action.
In response to these challenges, the 2024-25 Budget allocated around Rs 1,000 crore for repairing MCD-managed roads.
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Delhi roads to be pothole-free by Diwali: CM Atishi
To address the ongoing issues, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi recently announced plans to make the city pothole-free by Diwali. During a review meeting with officials from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), Atishi said that the AAP government will work towards improving the condition of roads in Delhi.
She directed PWD officials to collaborate with these agencies to expedite the repair of dilapidated roads. Atishi reported that DMRC and NCRTC officials informed her that patchwork and pothole filling on most of the roads have been completed over the past week, with plans to finish all related work within the next two weeks.
(With inputs from agencies)