The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has made it mandatory for all construction and demolition (C&D) sites in the national capital to register on its Dust Portal before their building plans are approved to tighten control over dust-related air pollution.

The directive, issued on Friday, is part of a broader effort to enforce stricter dust mitigation practices at the city’s construction hotspots, which are among the key contributors to poor air quality in Delhi.

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In an official communication from the office of Delhi’s Environment Minister, the DPCC has instructed land-owning agencies, builders, and contractors to strictly follow 14-point dust mitigation guidelines. These include the use of anti-smog guns, regular water sprinkling, and proper covering of construction material, among others.

The move aligns with directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to the Delhi government in July 2022 to curb dust from construction and demolition (C&D) sites — a critical step toward meeting national air quality standards, as such dust is a major contributor to rising PM2.5 and PM10 levels.

Further, the order issued by DPCC on Thursday directed all construction and demolition (C&D) projects under MCD, NDMC, and DCB must be registered on DPCC’s Dust Pollution Control Portal before building plans are approved. Municipal authorities are required to link approvals digitally through an API and include 14-point dust mitigation guidelines as a standard clause in all building plan sanctions.

Additionally, all C&D sites must display boards outlining dust control measures, even if portal registration is not mandatory.

According to the Office of Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the Delhi government, along with the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), has stepped up efforts to control air pollution in industrial areas where anti-smog guns and water sprinklers have not been deployed yet.

Sirsa announced that new CNG-powered anti-smog vehicles are equipped with hydraulic guns capable of spraying mist up to 30 metres with a 330-degree rotation, ensuring broad coverage. The department has scheduled these vehicles to operate in two daily four-hour shifts — the first from 3:00 to 7:00 am, and the second during afternoon non-peak hours. The initiative will run year-round, except for a two-month pause during the monsoon season.