These images show commuters making their way through a Delhi Metro construction site. Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE
Air

Delhi builds to reduce pollution, increases it in the process

Construction activities are a major source of urban air pollution for the national capital

Vikas Choudhary

The capital of India is building infrastructure at a fast pace to cater to the needs of its growing population.

With more people being added to Delhi’s residents every year, the need for infrastructure has never been felt more strongly.

Delhi urgently needs transport infrastructure to cater to its burgeoning population as well as to reduce pollution.

Delhi is also building to reduce its notorious air pollution, especially during the winter months, brought on in part by vehicular emissions.

Ironically though, as the city constructs more, it is polluted more. 

Ironically though, the more it constructs, the more dust is produced, causing PM10 pollution.

These images show vehicles passing through dense road dust near an active construction site in Delhi.

As the city expands its infrastructure network, inadequate dust suppression at worksites continues to add to PM10 pollution, a key driver of poor urban air quality.