Air purifying units set up at 5 traffic jns

MUMBAI: Concentration of pollutants at five junctions in the city is expected to reduce by 40%-60% as air purifying devices, called Wind Augmentation and Purifying Units (WAYU), have been installed there. Developed by IIT-Bombay and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), the units have been installed at Sion, Kalanagar junction, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and is under installation near the BMC’s headquarters.
IIT-B, NEERI and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board came together to create WAYU to improve air quality at intersections and integrate it such that it could work with solar power too.
After NEERI conducted a pilot study to assess air quality at 33 congested traffic junctions, the five locations were selected based on several factors such as sensitivity of site, vehicular congestion, pedestrian movement, individual exposure, urban tunnelling and feasibility of placing the equipment.
WAYU uses low-speed wind generators, appropriate size filters with reasonable efficiency along with therm-al oxidizer to remove carbon monoxide and hydrocarbo-ns. While the units were being tested for a month at the junctions, the one at Kalanagar was inaugurated by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday. “We wanted to ensure the unit is giving the desired result outside the lab too, so it was tested at traffic junctions. We found that they reduce pollutant concentrations by 40%-60%. Low-cost air quality sensors have been used to assess efficiency. We will record pollution levels every month to understand how well the units are working,” said Rakesh Kumar, director, NEERI.
P Anbalagan, member- secretary of MPCB, said they will consider installing WAYU at other sites after the results are quantified.