Pedestrianised Karol Bagh road has much cleaner air: CSE

NEW DELHI: Karol Bagh’s Ajmal Khan Road has marked substantial improvement in air quality since the stretch was made a car-free-zone, according to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The air quality data of the 600 meter pedestrianised road was compared with the heavily congested, near-by Arya Samaj Road and was found relatively better.

“We monitored roadside exposure to air pollution, which is different from ambient air quality, on the Arya Samaj Road during heavy traffic. We then moved to the car-free zone of the Ajmal Khan Road and collected the data,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE’s executive director of research and advocacy. The PM 2.5 concentration on the Arya Samaj Road was found 63.6 micrograms per cubic meter while PM 2.5 concentration on Ajmal Khan Road was found out to be 47.7 micrograms per cubic meter.

“The short-term spike of PM 2.5 on the Arya Samaj Road could hit 105.4 micrograms per cubic metre – 42.8 per cent higher than the highest short-term spike in the pedestrian area,” she said.

Following the success with Ajmal Khan Road, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is planning to extend the project to other localities like Kirti Nagar and Kamla Nagar. “World over, from London to Shanghai, pedestrianisation of market areas have enhanced shoppers’ experience, and our aim is to make the people of Delhi to feel that comfort,” Varsha Joshi, NDMC Commissioner told PTI.