The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) has trained engineers from Delhi’s Public Works Department on standards for building and maintaining roads while improving air quality in the city. The training, held at the NDMC Convention Centre, focused on putting into practice a framework created by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for urban road construction and tree-planting efforts across the National Capital Territory.
What was covered in the training
The one-day programme brought together PWD engineers with CRRI scientists to discuss multiple aspects of road design and urban planning:
- Background and principles behind paving and greening guidelines in the NCR region, including urban space standards and road network planning aligned with Indian Roads Congress guidelines
- Technical specifications for carriageway design across different types of urban roads, along with standard formats for collecting field data
- Engineering standards for public transport facilities, pedestrian walkways, and spaces for non-motorized transport like cycles and auto-rickshaws
- Road safety measures including proper signage and markings
- How to integrate underground and overhead utilities such as drainage systems, electricity, telecommunications networks, bus shelters, and fuel stations into road construction plans
CRRI scientists leading the sessions included Dr. Ch. Ravi Sekhar (Director), Dr. Sampath Kumar, Dr. K. Ravinder, Dr. E. Madhu, Dr. Mukti Advani, Dr. Minal Chandra, Dr. Chintaman Bari and Dr. Nischal Gupta. The training ended with discussion between scientists and PWD engineers on how to apply these standards when building and maintaining Delhi’s roads.
What this means for you
If you live in Delhi, this training aims to improve how roads are built and maintained in your area. Better road construction and greening efforts, following the CAQM standards, are meant to reduce dust from roads and improve air quality across the city. The focus on pedestrian pathways and non-motorized transport also suggests that future road work may give greater space and safety to cyclists and those on foot.