COVID-19 slowed down construction of Delhi's first smog tower: Environment Minister Gopal Rai

NEW DELHI: Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the construction work of Delhi's first smog tower at Connaught Place and it will now be ready by August 15.

The Delhi cabinet had approved the project in October last year.

The 20-metre-tall structure, being set up to improve air quality in a radius of around 1 km, was supposed to be ready by June 15.

"The COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the construction work of the smog tower, the first-of-its-kind in India. The work is being expedited. Now, it will be ready by August 15," Rai told reporters here.

He also said that many experts have different views about the efficacy of smog towers.

"This is a pilot project. Experts will monitor its utility and thereafter, the government will take a call on building more such structures," he said.

Tata Projects Limited (TPL) is implementing the Rs 20-crore project on the ground with technical support from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

National Building Construction Corporation India Ltd. has been appointed as project management consultant.