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Delhi faces a potential setback in its plans to nearly double its mechanical road-sweeping fleet ahead of the winter pollution season due to the ongoing Middle East crisis. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had anticipated receiving 70 new mechanical road sweeping machines (MRSMs) from Europe, but this delivery now appears uncertain.

To mitigate the delay, the MCD has initiated the hiring of 40 additional sweepers for a four-month period, starting from mid-November 2026. Currently, the MCD operates 66 mechanical road sweepers, which cover approximately 1,400 km of arterial roads wider than 60 feet. These machines are claimed to remove around 190 tonnes of dust daily, although their effectiveness has been questioned by councilors and citizen groups.

The 70 MRSMs were originally to be procured under a service outsourcing model, with the work already awarded. However, the crisis in the Middle East has disrupted manufacturing and transportation, affecting the sole viable shipping route. Despite efforts, the machines have been transported solely for demonstration purposes. In the interim, the MCD has launched a pan-India tender on September 29 to hire 40 additional MRSMs.

Of the 70 machines planned, 55 will be electric-vehicle-based and 15 will run on compressed natural gas (CNG). The self-propelled machines, imported from Europe, have a sweeping capacity of two or four cubic metres and feature an additional third front brush for enhanced efficiency. The MCD's move comes as road dust is recognized as a significant contributor to Delhi's air pollution, accounting for up to 25% of the city's particulate matter, as per a 2018 TERI study.