The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday announced that it will operate 20 additional train trips on weekdays from Thursday, following the enforcement of stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the national capital.
The DMRC will also intensify anti-pollution measures at its construction sites and surrounding areas across Delhi to help curb dust and pollution. These drives will supplement measures being implemented by the DMRC to control pollution. The DMRC’s Environment Department is conducting daily inspections to ensure compliance with environmental norms.
Around 31 km of city roads are currently under the DMRC’s temporary jurisdiction to facilitate Metro construction work.
Most of these stretches have already been repaired to prevent damaged roads from contributing to dust pollution, the DMRC said.
The sudden rise in pollution ahead of the winter season has raised concerns, with authorities preparing measures to curb emissions from road and construction dust, vehicles and industrial units. Air quality will also be closely monitored in the coming days.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 238 on Wednesday morning and entered the “poor” category for the first time this season, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
