Gurgaon: As part of Haryana’s road dust management plan, the city is planning to add 54 mechanised road sweeping and vacuum units before winter sets in.The expansion comes as the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) comes into force for NCR and authorities prepare for a seasonal rise in particulate pollution. Road dust remains a key concern because loose material and accumulated silt can be re-suspended by passing vehicles, adding to particulate matter levels. “The focus would be on ensuring that dust-control measures are implemented on the ground, particularly on stretches identified as vulnerable to dust generation and re-suspension,” said an HSPCB official.The target includes 12 large machines, four medium machines and 38 small or handheld vacuum units. According to the state plan, Gurgaon requires 30 large road sweeping machines. Of these, 18 were listed as available as of December 31, 2025, leaving a gap of 12 machines in 2026.For medium-size machines, the identified requirement is four, with none listed as available in the baseline assessment. The plan therefore provides for four additions. Gurgaon has also identified a requirement for 38 small or handheld vacuum machines, with the entire requirement included in the 2026 target. Together, the three categories account for 54 machines.The requirement assumes significance in view of findings from inspections before winters. During a joint enforcement drive last winter, agencies inspected 400 road stretches across NCR, including roads under the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon. Of these, 47 stretches were found to have high visible dust levels, while 105 others recorded medium levels.The state’s road dust management measures include mechanical sweeping, removal of accumulated silt, stabilisation of road shoulders, repair of damaged roads and prevention of loose material from spilling or accumulating on roads.The latest targets, however, do not establish how much of the proposed capacity is currently operational. The baseline figures in the plan relate to December 2025.In May, civic officials said 20 mechanised road sweeping machines were operating in Gurgaon, while a tender had been initiated for 52 additional machines under a new operating arrangement.The issue is particularly relevant for Gurgaon, which has continued to record high particulate pollution during winter. An analysis of the city’s 2025-26 winter air quality found an average PM2.5 concentration of 138 micrograms per cubic metre, with levels exceeding the national annual standard of 40 micrograms per cubic metre on 144 of 151 days analysed.
