BENGALURU: The launch of the full Phase I of Namma Metro has had a significant improvement in the air pollution levels across areas in its North-South(N-S) line as well as the East-West (E-W) line. Air monitoring by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KPSCB) has revealed a 13.3% dip in air pollutants along the Baiyappanahalli to Mysore Road stretch (E-W) and an 8.9% dip along the Yelachenahalli-Nagasandra (N-S) stretch.
In a study that was done in March this year, but is yet to be made public, six air quality monitoring stations, three along each of the Metro corridors, carried out an analysis of readings recorded for a 15-day period in March 2018. “When we compared them with March 2017 data for the N-S line and the March 2016 data for the E-W line, we observed clear dips in pollution levels. The Baiyappanahalli line showed an over 13 percent dip, which is very encouraging.”
The monitoring stations showed a dip in air pollutants Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM 2.5). Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns comprising fine dust matter is the most dangerous air pollutant and can cause tremendous breathing problems in adults, said an official. “PM coats the lungs and causes respiratory infections, persistent cough and throat irritation as well as aggravates asthma," he explained.
Peenya Industrial Area, Yeshwantpur Police station, City railway station, UVCE at K R Circle along the North-South Corridor, AMCO Batteries at Mysore Road and Victoria Hospital at K R Market are places where these monitoring stations are located, the Chairman said.
Responding to the findings, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited Managing Director Mahendra Jain said, “Nearly 4,00,000 passengers use Metro everyday. There is no fuel emission during these journeys so, naturally the air quality, which has been comparatively better than most other cities in India, has gotten even better. This has been established unequivocally by gelatinous studies conducted by KSPCB and Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute (EMPRI).
It is heartening to note that Bengaluru did not find place in the recent survey of the most polluted cities in the world, he observed. “The reduction in pollution is one of the small but fairly significant impact of Metro and its continuing patronage by the informed citizens of the city. With the commissioning of Phase II and the route planned for Phase III, our network will touch 250 kms by 2025. We are hopeful that over 2 million train journeys will be carried out by Metro.” The environmental & health benefits will then be even more clearly discernible and tangible, Jain added.
MONITORING STATION PERCENTAGE OF REDUCTION OF DIFFERENT AIR POLLUTANTS
Nitrogen dioxide PM_10 PM_2.5
1. Peenya Ind area 4.5% 20.2% 11.1%
2. Yeswantpur Police stn NA 3.8% 4.9%
3. UVCE, K R Circle 4.5% 20.2% 11.1%
4. AMCO Batteries, YPR 3% 13.3% 16.7%
5. Victoria Hospital, K R Market 3.1% 19.1% 28.2%
****KSPCB was not able to immediately furnish data for City railway station monitoring station while NO2 status not available for YPR.