Delhi CM warns DMRC over metro dust pollution

Delhi CM warns DMRC after a series of complaints that Delhi Metro construction dust pollution and poor upkeep around project sites are adding to pollution in the city. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has cautioned the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) that any violation of dust control norms at metro construction sites will invite strict action.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Complaints over Delhi Metro construction dust pollution

At a high-level review meeting held on Friday (December 5, 2025), Chief Minister Rekha Gupta voiced strong displeasure over reports that heavy dust continues to rise from most Metro construction locations and that adequate dust-mitigation measures are still not in place.

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The meeting brought together DMRC officials, Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma and senior representatives from various Delhi government departments, which underscored how seriously the authorities are treating the complaints about Delhi Metro construction dust pollution.

A communique from the Chief Minister’s Office noted that citizens have repeatedly complained that even when Metro work is completed, roads, footpaths and other nearby infrastructure are not properly repaired. According to the CM, this condition keeps pollution levels elevated around Metro sites and creates traffic obstructions instead of restoring normal conditions for road users.

CM’s directions on dust control norms and cleanliness

Turning specifically to dust control norms at metro construction sites, Ms. Gupta stressed that construction activities must not contribute to pollution under any circumstances. She instructed DMRC to treat compliance with dust control norms as a core operational duty and to ensure that effective dust-control systems are mandatorily implemented at all active project locations.

The Chief Minister also focused on garbage and lack of cleanliness under elevated metro routes, calling it a serious issue. She said that she herself has seen heaps of waste piled up beneath elevated stretches of the Metro and described this as a clear sign of negligence in maintaining cleanliness.

In response, Ms. Gupta directed the Metro to organise regular cleaning and systematic removal of garbage from beneath its elevated corridors so that these areas do not become permanent dumping grounds.

Ms. Gupta further remarked that the Metro appears to be using its elevated structures largely for advertising, while basic cleanliness is being overlooked. For an institution as reputed as the Metro, she said, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation should be a model for environmental protection and proper observance of dust control norms, not appear to be part of the pollution problem.

Strict action for negligence contributing to pollution

As DMRC officials outlined the measures they were taking to address pollution-related concerns, the Chief Minister issued clear instructions that modern technologies for dust control at construction sites must be deployed across the network. She directed that construction materials be properly covered, regular water sprinkling be ensured, and that soil or debris must not be allowed to spill onto the roads, so that dust control norms at metro construction sites are followed in practice rather than just on paper.

Emphasising that the government and its departments are working on a “war footing” against pollution, Ms. Gupta warned that any negligence contributing to pollution would not be tolerated. She announced that she would soon visit ongoing Metro construction sites herself and made it clear that, if any negligence is found, stringent action will be taken against the Metro and DMRC management.

The Chief Minister added that this warning is not limited to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. She categorically stated that whether it is the Metro, the Municipal Corporation, the Public Works Department, or any other agency, if any negligence contributing to pollution is detected, strict and exemplary action will be taken. In this way, the CM’s message was that Delhi CM warns DMRC and all other agencies alike that compliance with dust control norms and broader cleanliness obligations is now a non-negotiable condition of working on public infrastructure in the capital.

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