Smog tower at Delhi's Anand Vihar to be ready by June 2021: CPCB

The Central Pollution Control Board CPCB has directed Tata Projects Limited TPL to expedite work on a smog tower coming up at Anand Vihar here to ensure that it is ready by June next year, officials said on Wednesday.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed Tata Projects Limited (TPL) to expedite work on a smog tower coming up at Anand Vihar here to ensure that it is ready by June next year, officials said on Wednesday. TPL is implementing the project on the ground with technical support from IIT-Bombay, which, in collaboration with IIT-Delhi, will validate the performance of the tower. NBCC India Ltd. has been appointed as project management consultant.

''Tower design details have been received from the University of Minnesota and detailed structural drawings have been developed. On-ground activities for smog tower have commenced since December 4. Orders for various project components are in process,'' the CPCB said. Its chairman Shiv Das Meena visited the smog tower site on Tuesday with officials from the NBCC and TPL to review the project's progress.

''The smog tower project is expected to be completed by June 4 next year as planned. Instructions (have been) issued to TPL to expedite works,'' the apex pollution control body said. The Supreme Court had in January directed the central government to construct a smog tower to reduce pollution at Anand Vihar in three months. It had also directed the Delhi government to install another such structure in Connaught Place during the same period. The apex court had in August hit out at the Centre and state government for missing the deadline of April 13 for completing the construction of two smog towers in the city.

Experts have questioned the effectiveness of smog towers, calling them a ''waste of money''..