Road Dust Pollution in India
Context
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Road dust is a major contributor to India’s air pollution.
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With the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) targeting 40% PM₁₀ reduction by 2025-26, controlling road dust has become urgent.
Why Road Dust Matters
| Parameter | Impact |
|---|---|
| Composition | Mainly PM₁₀ and coarse particles |
| Share in air pollution | 20–52% of PM₁₀ and 8–25% of PM₂.₅ in 17 non-attainment cities |
| Regional variation | North India dustier than South India due to high silt load |
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IIT-Delhi finding: Silt load on streets varies from 0.2 g/m² to 111.2 g/m²; Delhi ≈ 14.47 g/m²
Funding & Prioritisation
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₹19,711 crore allocated under NCAP (2019–2025) to 131 cities.
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64% spent on road dust control, more than on biomass burning, vehicular pollution etc.
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Despite this, PM₁₀ levels rose in 29 cities; in 68 cities where PM₁₀ fell, 61 still exceeded NAAQS → limited effectiveness.
Policy & Institutional Measures (Existing)
| Year | Initiative | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dust mitigation notification | Paving/blacktopping around construction sites |
| 2021 | Dust Control & Management Cells (CAQM) | Hotspot identification, paving, greening, mechanised sweeping |
| 2025 | CAQM study | Road condition assessment and standard framework recommendations |
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Road dust control efforts concentrated mostly in Delhi-NCR, not pan-India.
Key Challenges
1️⃣ Fragmented Jurisdiction
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Too many agencies manage roads → poor coordination & accountability.
Example: Delhi – 12 agencies; Uttar Pradesh – 18; Haryana – 22; Rajasthan – 16
2️⃣ Infrastructure Gaps
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Delhi: Only 8,000 km of 19,000 km identified for mechanised sweeping.
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Needs 200 sweeping machines, but only 85 operational → larger deficit in other cities.
3️⃣ Ineffective Dust Handling
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Collected dust often discarded on roadsides/landfills → re-suspends with wind.
4️⃣ Lack of Scientific SOPs
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No uniform guidelines for:
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Road dust disposal
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Use of dust suppressants
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Road condition assessment and road-width based machinery selection
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Practical & Administrative Solutions
Institutional / Governance Actions
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Create GIS-based platform for real-time monitoring & shared responsibility.
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Pan-India standard framework for dust control (not limited to Delhi-NCR).
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Clearly demarcate roles of agencies + assign accountability.
Operational Measures
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Scientific disposal of swept dust instead of roadside dumping.
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Road design reforms: paved shoulders, greening, curbside repair.
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Road-condition surveys + digital mapping for prioritisation.
Dust Suppressive Measures
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Dust suppressants used worldwide: Calcium chloride, Mg chloride, lignosulphate, bitumen emulsions
✔ But require impact assessment on soil, water & road health before scaling.
Way Forward
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Holistic + time-bound dust control as part of smart urban planning.
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Treat air quality + road infrastructure as integrated planning components.
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Science-based regulation for road construction and maintenance.
