The Delhi Government will begin construction of nearly 400 km of roads to control dust pollution once the Graded Response Action Plan is lifted, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday. Construction activity is currently prohibited under GRAP, which is implemented as a short-term emergency measure to address severe air pollution. Ms Gupta said the proposed roads will be constructed wall-to-wall, eliminating dust generated from exposed road edges. In addition to road construction, the Delhi government is installing mist spray systems along central verges to reduce airborne dust particles, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office. At present, around 340 mist spray systems are operational across the city, with their coverage being expanded in a phased manner. The government said these systems form a key part of its dust mitigation strategy. According to the Delhi government, budgetary allocations for 300 km of the planned 400 km of roads have already been released by the Central government. The remaining 100 km will be constructed using the Delhi government’s own resources. Ms Gupta added that tenders and other procedural formalities for the road works have already been completed, enabling swift execution once restrictions are lifted. Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital showed a marginal improvement on Tuesday. The overall air quality index stood at ‘very poor’ at 388 at 4 pm, compared with ‘severe’ at 401 recorded a day earlier. However, areas such as Anand Vihar, Chandni Chowk, Rohini and Punjabi Bagh continued to record ‘severe’ air quality levels later in the evening. According to official forecasts, air quality is expected to deteriorate again. The Central government’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said air quality is likely to remain in the ‘severe’ category from December 31 to January 1, before improving slightly to ‘very poor’ on January 2.