New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) Around 1.52 lakh metric tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste was removed from Delhi during a month-long special sanitation drive, civic body officials said on Thursday.

The drive, carried out from March 6 to March 31 across all 12 zones of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, targeted the clearance of debris from roads, drains, lanes, and other public spaces to improve cleanliness and ease civic infrastructure.

During the drive, the average daily lifting of C&D waste rose to about 6,100 metric tonnes, compared to around 3,500 metric tonnes in January, according to an official statement by the MCD.

Around 50 additional sanitation workers were assigned per zone, while heavy machinery such as JCBs, loaders and highway machines were used to clear large accumulations of debris, the statement read.

Of the total waste removed, approximately 79,406 metric tonnes were lifted by the MCD, while about 72,737 metric tonnes were collected by other participating departments.

The waste was transported to designated C&D processing plants at Rani Khera, Shastri Park, Burari and Bakkarwala for scientific treatment.

In addition, smaller and scattered unauthorised debris was cleared by ward-level teams using auto tippers, with material routed through nearly 125 collection centres.

Overall, about 7,200 to 7,500 truckloads of debris were removed from roughly 1,600 to 1,700 locations across 250 wards during the drive, officials said. PTI MSJ MSJ NB NB