Gurugram's Dust-Free Roads Plan Trails; Residents Suffer

Gurugram's Municipal Corporation (MCG) has set a December 31, 2026 deadline to make 294 roads dust-free. However, nine months into the year, many identified road stretches are still heavily affected by dust, according to residents and environmentalists. Key roads such as Hero Honda Chowk and Old SPR are consistently listed in the MCG's action plan but show little improvement.

The MCG has not publicly disclosed the number of roads made dust-free so far, making it difficult to track progress towards the 2026 target. Problematic areas include stretches near Kadipur School, Artemis Road, and Golf Course Extension Road, where dust from vehicles exacerbates the problem for commuters and students.

Environmental groups point to ongoing construction, unwashed vehicle tires, and uncovered trucks carrying debris as major contributors to dust pollution. They emphasize the need for sustained enforcement beyond complaint-driven responses to establish a preventive clean-air system.

Compounding the issue are equipment shortages. Gurugram operates with only 13 anti-smog guns against a requirement of 22, and just 24 of the necessary 72 mechanical road sweeping machines are available. While tenders for new machines have been floated, the pace of work and compliance remains slow, with 217 kilometers of road repairs still pending.