Roads dug up for months, Indirapuram braces for a dusty winter | Noida News

Ghaziabad: Nine months into repairs, Indirapuram’s dug-up roads and mounds of construction waste threaten to worsen winter pollution, with over 10km of stretches still unfinished and air quality already deteriorating.Residents expressed concern that the slow pace of work under the chief minister’s green road infrastructure development scheme (CM Grid) could add to pollution significantly. “We faced the worst monsoon because of dug-up roads and are bracing for the worst winter. The AQI is already on a downslide, and with dust and mud around, it is only a matter of time before PM10 and PM2.5 levels spike,” said Santosh Singh, a resident.The concern is backed by recent air quality readings. Indirapuram recorded ‘poor’ air quality on seven days in Oct up to Tuesday and ‘very poor’ AQI on Oct 22. PM10 and PM2.5 — particulate matter that can penetrate the respiratory system — remained major contributors. With winter conditions likely to impede the dispersal of pollutants, residents feared dust from unfinished roads could worsen the situation.More than 10km of road stretches are being redeveloped under phase 2 of the CM Grid scheme. These include a 4km stretch from Saheed Capt Manoj Pandey Marg near Kanawani Puliya to NH-9, stretches connecting Sucheta Kriplani Road and Kala Patthar Road to Kaveri Marg, and other stretches linking Kala Patthar Road and Saheed Capt Manoj Pandey Marg via Sushila Nayar Marg and Kasturba Gandhi Marg.Yet, residents said, no stretch was fully completed. “Not a single kilometre of any road stretch in the township is over, and mounds of earth lie alongside roads at almost every stretch. Drains are dug up, cable work is still on, requiring further excavation, and excavators occupy parts of roads, leaving only smaller vehicles room to pass. This is the situation now. What can we expect next month?” asked DK Pandey.Some residents, however, acknowledged that work has progressed, with potholes removed and black-topping and levelling completed at several locations. But they questioned whether these gains will offset the pollution caused by unfinished stretches.“It is not that no progress has been made. But will this help bring down pollution? The answer is no. One dug-up stretch can kick up dust across a 500-metre radius. It is not just the road under repair but the surrounding area that gets affected,” said Kalpana Tyagi.A contractor said the project involved several components, including stormwater drains, cable networks and footpaths. “A little over 10% of the overall work is complete, but 60% of the stormwater drain work has been covered. Footpaths have been built at several places,” he said.He added that pollution-control measures included grid nets at excavation sites, water sprinkling thrice a day and use of anti-smog guns. “Work would continue, subject to restrictions under GRAP. There will, obviously, be precautions in place,” the contractor said.A Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) official said pollution from construction-related activity was being monitored by the civic body, district magistrate, Central Pollution Control Board and the Commission for Air Quality Management. UP Pollution Control Board has also identified 10 pollution hotspots in the district, including Indirapuram, citing construction activity, traffic dust and building material as key concerns.