PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched two vacuum-based road sweeping machines from his camp office here on Friday. The machines, purchased under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), will help improve street cleaning and reduce air pollution in the city. Addressing the gathering at the site along with Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, the CM said that using technology to strengthen the cleaning system will support efforts to make Dehradun a clean and pollution-free city. He added that the machines will allow regular cleaning of small and large roads more efficiently and quickly, helping residents access cleaner streets. He urged the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) and departments concerned to operate these activities effectively to maintain a clean and green city. The Dehradun municipal commissioner Namami Bansal said that the machines, based on Swiss technology, will operate from 11 PM to 6 AM to avoid traffic disruption. The total cost, including one year of operation, is Rs 6.74 crore. She stated that the corporation conducted several tests of both machines to evaluate their performance on Dehradun’s roads. She informed that the sweeping machines will primarily be deployed on main city roads. This will allow the corporation to redirect sanitation workers and sweepers to internal lanes and residential areas, helping to address manpower challenges. The machines have the capacities of 3.5 cubic metres and 6.5 cubic metres. It also has a key feature of an in-built water sprinkler system, which ensures dust-free sweeping on roads without contributing to air pollution, she added.