GURGAON: Nearly one in three roads in the city has been identified for redevelopment — blame it on “poor surface quality and high dust generation”.Official records show that about 30% of Gurgaon’s road network — over 700km of 2,400km — was flagged for upgrades under a new road dust control plan for 2026–27, with an estimated outlay of Rs 1,971 crore. Records underline how broken and poorly maintained roads continue to undermine the city’s air pollution control efforts.The proposal had been submitted by MCG to Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Union environment ministry on Dec 30. After reviewing the same, CAQM released the district action plan on Monday.As of Dec 31, 2025, Gurgaon has a total road network of 2,429.9km under agencies including MCG, GMDA, PWD (B&R), HSVP, HSIIDC and NHAI. Of this, 1,703.6km is classified as being in good condition, while the remaining 726.5km was flagged for redevelopment.India analyst at CREA (Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air) Manoj Kumar said, “Since 30% of the city road network awaits redevelopment over the next two years, stopgap measures such as water sprinkling and dust collection will have limited impact, leaving the city exposed to persistently high PM10 pollution from road dust.”Under the consolidated two-year execution plan for 2026–27, MCG was assigned the largest share of work at 611km, reflecting its control over most internal and residential roads in the city. GMDA will redevelop 51.34km, largely on arterial corridors, while PWD (B&R), HSVP and NHAI together account for about 64km. HSIIDC reported no road stretches requiring redevelopment under the current framework.While the plan projects full funding availability overall, documents highlight financial constraints at the municipal level. MCG estimated a requirement of Rs 571 crore for its share of the works, but indicated that only half the amount is currently available, with the remaining Rs 285 crore to be sought from CAQM through the Centre. GMDA, in contrast, reported full funding availability for its Rs 1,300.6-crore road redevelopment component.A majority of the stretches proposed for redevelopment fall under narrow width categories, which are more prone to surface damage and dust resuspension. Roads with a width of less than 10 metres account for 554km, followed by 83.75km in the 10–15 metre category and 49.29km in the 15-30 metre range. Though wider roads account for a smaller length, they dominate the cost outlay, with just 30.44km of roads having a width of 60 metres or more estimated to require Rs 1,233 crore, over 60% of the total proposed expenditure.What ails GurgaonRegulators repeatedly flagged road dust from broken surfaces, unpaved shoulders and poorly maintained internal roads as a persistent source of particulate matter in Gurgaon. While measures such as mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling provide temporary relief, authorities acknowledged that permanent road redevelopment is critical for sustained dust control. The effectiveness of the plan will depend on timely fund releases, coordination among multiple agencies, and the ability to execute works during peak pollution months.
