New Delhi, Dec 16 : The NDMC has decided to install 15 mist sprayers on electric poles along a 500-metre stretch of Lodhi Road to combat rising air pollution, Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal said on Monday.

Each pole will have five nozzles, and every nozzle will feature six spray holes, resulting in 30 spray points per pole. The system will consume 81 liters of water per pole per hour of operation. To support this, four tanks with a capacity of 5,000 liters each will be set up, using only treated water from sewage treatment plants (STP), he said.

Chahal added that after the successful implementation on Lodhi Road, the project will be expanded to key locations like Shanti Path and Africa Avenue, and eventually rolled out across the entire NDMC jurisdiction.

He also highlighted that NDMC has already undertaken several initiatives to control pollution. Mechanical Road Sweepers (MRS), equipped with GPS tracking, have been deployed to clean roads efficiently, with real-time monitoring via the Smart City Integrated Command and Control Centre.

The Council has also procured anti-smog guns and mist spray machines to reduce dust and particulate matter as needed. Water tankers with a capacity of 5,000 to 10,000 liters are used for watering roadside trees and shrubs, using treated water from STPs, he said.

Additionally, NDMC organises tree plantation drives to promote greenery and ensure regular watering of roadside green spaces. Dust control measures are strictly enforced at construction sites. All these efforts align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a pollution-free India.

The NDMC is one of the few civic agencies in the country that have a surplus budget. An area of about 28 sq km within the overall extent of 42.74 sq km of the NDMC jurisdiction, is occupied by the planned city of 'Lutyens New Delhi'.

This is the old imperial Delhi, the capital established in 1911.

Within this, about 22.3 sq km is designated as the Lutyens Bungalow Zone, which has strict regulations to check the height of buildings and conserve the heritage character of other buildings.

The area under NDMC jurisdiction includes government offices, government housing, private housing, the Central Business District of the city; and prominent institutional areas. The area is characterised by wide roads, parks and gardens.

/IANS