Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday inspected key construction sites and traffic congestion points along the Gurgaon-Delhi highway, from Dhaula Kuan to Shiv Murti interchange, to identify infrastructural shortcomings and address pollution concerns.
At Shiv Murti interchange, Sirsa asked officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department of Delhi to submit a feasibility report assessing expected vehicle inflow and traffic movement through a proposed corridor. He stressed that the stretch already faced heavy congestion and frequent jams.
He also directed NHAI to evaluate the need for additional diversions at major choke points and present a plan.
To tackle the problem of pollution, NHAI and Municipal Corporation of Delhi have been asked to work in coordination to maintain and expand green cover along the highway. Calling the Gurgaon-Delhi highway the lifeline of the capital, Sirsa emphasised that ensuring smooth traffic flow to reduce air pollution remained a top priority.
Delhi govt stated that the minister called for better dust control measures, traffic diversions and green cover expansion to improve air quality. Senior officials from Delhi Pollution Control Committee, PWD, Airports Authority of India, NHAI and Delhi Traffic Police accompanied Sirsa during the inspection.
“The minister identified key problem areas contributing to traffic congestion and air pollution. He highlighted flaws in road planning at Mahipalpur and Rohtak-Chandigarh flyovers, which lead to frequent bottlenecks, and reviewed dust mitigation efforts at major construction sites such as Shiv Murti interchange and the airport underpass,” the statement read.
“He expressed concerns over non-compliance with pollution control norms, observing that several construction sites were left uncovered and lacked regular water sprinkling to control dust,” it added.
Officials said Sirsa directed DPCC officials to act against developers and contractors failing to implement proper dust control measures. “If we can ensure smoother traffic through proper diversions, enforce dust control at construction sites and expand green cover along the highway, we can significantly improve Delhi’s air quality,” Sirsa said.
Mayank Rawat
