Apathy doesn’t have a time stamp. Your lungs do: Even as Delhi’s AQI improves, dust haunts Khyber Pass

In November 2024, TOI highlighted how a new dust bowl had emerged at Khyber Pass near Delhi University in north Delhi. Though authorities had razed several illegal structures in August that year, the area continues to resemble a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape as the city steps into 2026. Residents remain anguished over the neglect. “Who will take responsibility for this? Who will take care of our lungs?” asked a local, pointing to the unchecked dust pollution that still engulfs the area. While Delhi has seen notable improvements in air quality in recent days—helped by overnight winds that dispersed fog and ventilated pollutants—dust remains a serious concern at Khyber Pass. At 12 pm, the city’s AQI stood at 270, categorised as ‘poor’, but conditions in the Khyber Pass stretch reflected far greater negligence. The Central government’s Land and Development Office (L&DO) had demolished multiple structures at Khyber Pass on August 4, 2024. However, nearly a year and a half later, the cleared land remains unattended, continuing to generate dust and pollution, residents said.