New Delhi, May 12: In a major step to strengthen air pollution control measures, the Delhi government has made it mandatory for all construction and demolition (C&D) sites in the national capital to install high-density dust screens with a minimum thickness of 100 GSM (grams per square metre).
The directive was issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) following updated guidelines from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which has been pushing stricter enforcement of dust-control measures across the Delhi-NCR region.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the government is adopting a “whole-of-government approach” to combat worsening air pollution in the city.
“Delhi’s fight against air pollution is being pursued with urgency, seriousness and scientific intervention,” Sirsa said, adding that the new standard would make dust mitigation measures “practical, measurable and enforceable.”
Until now, construction sites were required to cover structures and building materials using tarpaulin sheets or green nets, but no minimum technical specifications had been defined. Officials said the lack of standards often resulted in ineffective barriers that failed to contain fine particulate matter such as PM2.5 and PM10.
Under the revised norms all project developers and agencies must immediately comply with the 100 GSM specification to improve on-site dust containment.
The government is also upgrading its monitoring system through the proposed “Dust Portal 2.0,” a centralized digital platform designed to track compliance and regulate construction activities across the capital. Registration of all C&D sites on the portal has already been made mandatory.
The DPCC has directed multiple agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Central Public Works Department and the Public Works Department, to ensure immediate implementation of the order.
Construction dust remains one of the major contributors to Delhi’s deteriorating air quality, particularly during dry and windy conditions. Environmental experts have repeatedly flagged unregulated construction activities as a significant source of airborne particulate pollution in the city.
Officials said the stricter dust control norms are part of a broader strategy to reduce pollution levels and improve urban environmental management in the capital.