Clean air zones to help in winter

The Delhi government aims to create a safe outdoor space for citizens to go on morning walks during the peak pollution season, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Sirsa said on Sunday, during an inspection of Nehru Park, where the government is planning to install 150 outdoor air purifiers in a pilot project.

- Aheli Das

NEW DELHI:

The project is directed at determining if the air quality index (AQI) of a particular location can be lowered, officials said. If the study confirms both impact and practicality, similar "Clean Air Zones" could be considered at Connaught Place, Khan Market and other high-footfall locations, they said.

"AQI is a big challenge in Delhi. We are conducting a study in Nehru Park. We are trying to determine if we can lower the AQI in a particular location. If this project is successful, this area will have nearly 50% lesser AQI than the rest of Delhi. When pollution is bad, doctors ask everyone to not go outside, in such a situation there should be an area where people can come for a walk or jog," Sirsa said.