Take Notice Delhi, Mumbai Now Has Air Purifiers At Traffic Junctions

The rising levels of air pollution has been a concern for most major cities in India and Mumbai is now attempting to tackle it by installing wind purifiers at traffic junctions, reports the Indian Express. These cleverly named  ‘WAYU’  or Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Units are programmed to  suck in the particulate matter and release fresh air.

Officials told the Indian Express that  units have been set up across Mumbai city in the busy areas of Ghatkopar, Sion and Bhandup and three more are to be set up soon in Kalanagar junction.

The reason traffic junctions were chosen as the primary location for these units is because they tend to have a high amount of air pollution due  of the density of vehicles. The report states that the worsening traffic conditions  in the city led to the rise in carbon monoxide levels, which was at its highest during peak hour traffic.

An official told the Indian Express, “We have selected these junctions as they are places with very high particulate matter. WAYU is an active air pollution mitigation technology that works on the principle of breaking down carbon monoxide” . WAYU was created in  a joint collaboration between National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay).

With the capital city of Delhi struggling to breathe under the heavy cover of smog, it is a good move by the Mumbai  government to tackle this surmounting problems with this step.

Sceptics may come out and call it too small a step, but for all those people at the junctions who are breathing in less toxic air, their lungs will be definitely be singing some praises.

Perhaps the government could also consider increasing the reach of this program to include more areas but needless to say, the first step should be to begin planting more trees because they are the original air purifier and nothing could every beat their efficiency.

To read the complete report by The Indian Express, click here.