As a measure to improve air quality and bring down dust pollution, Tiruchi City Corporation (TCC) has decided to form end-to-end roads on all arterial and interior stretches in the city.
Tiruchi is among the Smart Cities that have been classified as non-attainment cities in the country under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The programme is aimed at evolving a long-term, time-bound national and city-specific strategy to tackle air pollution in a comprehensive manner with a target to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations within 2024.
Corporation Commissioner P.M.N. Mujubur Rahuman told The Hindu that an air quality management action plan had been prepared to improve the quality of air. Reducing vehicular and industrial emissions, reducing peak hour traffic, controlling smoke pollution, awareness creation and a team to monitor the implementation of emission control measures were among the action plan.
It had been found that the city had to improve its performance in dust pollution level. Accumulation of sand along the sides of the roads and operation of sand lorries without covering the material had been the main reasons for the dust pollution in the city. It went up during the post-rainy days. While attention would be step up to remove the sand accumulated along the streets, steps would be taken to form end to end roads on all important and street roads.
Standing instructions had been given to officials not to leave space while forming new roads or laying roads. Plan estimate would be prepared for the entire width from right to left. The approach was been followed for the last few months. If all roads were converted into end-to-end roads, the level of dust pollution could be brought down to a great extent. Smoke pollution caused by emission of vehicles would be checked with the help of stakeholders including police and road transport authorities.
A periodic check up would be conducted to check whether the smoke emitted by two and four-wheelers was up to the permitted level. Reducing peak hours was on the agenda.
An alert system would be in place to check the air pollution level regularly. An outreach programme would be carried out to create awareness among the people of the need to improve air quality.
“Healthy air quality is important to the overall well-being of the residents. It could be improved with the participation of all stakeholders,” Mr. Rahuman said.
