8 June 2026·PIB

CSIR-CRRI Signs MoA with Government of Haryana for Implementation of CAQM Framework on Urban Road Dust Mitigation and Sustainable Road Infrastructure

In this note

1. At a Glance

CSIR-CRRI signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Government of Haryana on 8 June 2026 to implement the Standard Framework for Paving and Greening of Urban Roads in NCR under CAQM guidance [1].
Project executed jointly with School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi; addresses road-dust pollution, a major PM10/PM2.5 source in Delhi-NCR [1][2].
Tests UPSC themes of cooperative federalism, air-quality governance, and science-led urban infrastructure.

8 June 2026: PIB release on signing of the MoA between CSIR-CRRI and Haryana at CSIR-CRRI HQ, New Delhi — the first State-level operationalisation of the CAQM Standard Framework earlier formalised via a tripartite MoU among CAQM, CSIR-CRRI and SPA [1][2].

CAQM created under the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, replacing the EPCA.
CAQM issued a Comprehensive Policy for Delhi-NCR with sector-wise dust abatement measures [3].
CAQM directed UP, Rajasthan, Haryana and GNCTD to set up Dust Control & Management Cells [3].
Tripartite CAQM–CSIR-CRRI–SPA MoU signed earlier to develop the Standard Framework for urban road redevelopment, paving and greening [2].
2026 Haryana MoA operationalises that framework at the State level [1].

Project title: "Implementation of the Standard Framework for Paving and Greening of Urban Roads (Haryana State)" [1].
Signatories: CSIR-CRRI + Government of Haryana; technical partner SPA New Delhi; guidance by CAQM [1].
Parent Ministry of CSIR-CRRI: Ministry of Science & Technology (CSIR umbrella) [1].
CSIR-CRRI founded: 1952; HQ New Delhi.
Statutory base of CAQM: CAQM Act, 2021 (Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change).
Framework pillars [2]:
Cross-section design by Right-of-Way (RoW) width.
Greening of road sides within RoW.
Web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS).
New construction/maintenance technologies.
Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) to be set up at CAQM [2].

Environmental: Road dust is a leading contributor to PM10 in NCR; paving + greening reduces resuspension; trees act as bio-filters [2][3].
Scientific/Technological: Deploys Mechanised Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) classified Large (>4 m³ hopper, RoW >15 m), Medium (1–4 m³, RoW 10–15 m), Small (<1 m³, RoW <10 m) [3]. RAMS integrates GIS for asset tracking [2].
Administrative / Federal: CAQM (central statutory body) sets norms; State PWDs and ULBs implement; CSIR-CRRI provides technical R&D — a model of vertical cooperation [2][3].
Legal/Constitutional: Anchored in CAQM Act 2021; intersects Article 21 (right to clean air — MC Mehta line of cases) and Article 48A (DPSP).
Economic: Sustainable road infra reduces health costs from PM exposure; promotes use of industrial waste (steel slag, bio-bitumen) in roads — circular economy [4].

8 Jun 2026: CSIR-CRRI–Haryana MoA signed [1].
2025: CAQM circular on MRSM technical/operational norms for NCR road-owning agencies [3].
2025: CAQM Resource Lab training on Sustainable Road Design at Ghaziabad [search index].
Earlier: Tripartite CAQM–CSIR-CRRI–SPA MoU on Standard Framework [2].
CSIR-CRRI rolled out MSS+ (Mechanical Stabilisation) tech in UP and steel-slag road technology [4].

CSIR-CRRI is headquartered in New Delhi and falls under CSIR / Ministry of Science & Technology [1].
CAQM is a statutory body under the CAQM Act, 2021 (not under MoEFCC's executive order) — replaced EPCA.
CAQM jurisdiction: NCR + adjoining areas of Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan.
Haryana MoA signed on 8 June 2026 at CSIR-CRRI, New Delhi [1].
Technical partner for urban road framework: School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi [1][2].
Framework includes a Web-GIS Road Asset Management System (RAMS) [2].
MRSM = Mechanised Road Sweeping Machine; classified by hopper capacity & Right-of-Way [3].
States directed by CAQM to set up Dust Control & Management Cells: UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, GNCTD [3].
CSIR-CRRI founded 1952 [4].
A Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) is to be housed at CAQM [2].
Project applies to roads in NCR portion of Haryana [1].

GS-III: Environment & Pollution — "Air pollution mitigation in NCR: institutional architecture under CAQM."
GS-II: Governance & Statutory Bodies — "Examine the role of CAQM in cooperative federalism on air quality."
GS-III: Science & Tech — "How is CSIR-CRRI leveraging materials science and GIS for sustainable urban roads?"
Possible stems: 1. "Road dust is the silent killer of NCR's air. Discuss institutional and technological responses." (GS-III) 2. "Evaluate the CAQM Act, 2021 as an improvement over the EPCA framework." (GS-II) 3. "Sustainable urban road infrastructure can deliver both clean air and climate co-benefits. Comment." (GS-III)

CAQM Act, 2021 — statutory backbone.
GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) — operational arm for NCR pollution episodes.
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), 2019 — pan-India PM reduction targets.
EPCA — predecessor to CAQM.
CSIR-CRRI technologies: steel-slag roads, bio-bitumen [4].
Smart Cities Mission — urban infra linkage.
MC Mehta vs Union of India — judicial backdrop for NCR air quality.
BS-VI norms & SAFAR — complementary mitigation measures.

CAQM is statutory (Act, 2021), not an executive body or NGT creation — easy trap.
CSIR-CRRI sits under Ministry of Science & Technology, not MoRTH or MoEFCC.
The MoA is with Haryana State Government, while the parent framework MoU is tripartite (CAQM–CSIR-CRRI–SPA) — don't conflate.
SPA Delhi ≠ NIUA or CEPT; it is an Institute of National Importance under MoE.
CAQM covers NCR + adjoining areas, not all of India — distinguish from NCAP.