New Delhi:
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday announced that it will operate 20 additional train trips on weekdays from Thursday, following the enforcement of stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the national capital.
The DMRC will also intensify anti-pollution measures at its construction sites and surrounding areas across Delhi to help curb dust and pollution.
"From tomorrow, Delhi Metro will be running 20 additional trips on its network on weekdays to encourage more and more people to use public transport instead of their personal vehicles," the DMRC said in a statement.
As part of its intensified measures, the corporation will undertake activities to reduce dust levels at construction sites, clear road dust from surrounding stretches, and remove garbage from footpaths and road medians, the statement added.
DMRC engineers will conduct thorough inspections of construction sites and adjoining roads to ensure that construction materials are properly covered and wheel-washing facilities for outgoing vehicles remain operational.
These drives will supplement measures being implemented by the DMRC to control pollution.
Around 31 km of city roads are currently under the DMRC's temporary jurisdiction to facilitate Metro construction work. Most of these stretches have already been repaired to prevent damaged roads from contributing to dust pollution, the DMRC said.
More than 250 anti-smog guns and mist guns have also been installed at construction sites, Metro stations and office buildings to reduce dust levels.
The DMRC's Environment Department is conducting daily inspections to ensure compliance with environmental norms.
Authorities in Delhi enforced GRAP 1 on Wednesday amid deteriorating air quality in the national capital.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 238 on Wednesday morning and entered the "poor" category for the first time this season.
The sudden rise in pollution ahead of the winter season has raised concerns, with authorities preparing measures to curb emissions from road and construction dust, vehicles and industrial units. Air quality will also be closely monitored in the coming days.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)