The air purifier installed by a private agency costs around Rs 2.5 lakh.

BENGALURU: With several studies alluding to Bengaluru going the Delhi way in matters of air pollution, the BBMP on Thursday installed an air purifier at Hudson Circle . The purifier installed by a private agency costs around Rs 2.5 lakh.

In its recent budget, the BBMP announced that it’d be prioritising air purifiers at various junctions. According to the civic agency’s plans, the city requires air purifiers at 44,000 junctions.

Bengaluru’s first air purifier at a public place will cover an area of 60 feet.

Executive engineer N Chandrashekar from the BBMP’s multipurpose engineering department said the Hudson Circle purifier is a pilot and its air filters need to be cleaned once in 20 days. “According to the private agency, around 2-3kg dust will get accumulated in the purifier in 20 days. A consolidated report will be placed before the BBMP council, and if everything goes according to the plan, the civic agency will take a final call on installation of such air purifiers at various junctions,” he added.

Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said the city has a vehicular population of 80 lakh and every year the number goes up by 10%. “Air quality is an alarming issue and we need to tackle it. The BBMP had announced in its budget its objective to install air purifiers at various junctions and the first of them has been put up. This purifier will be cleaned regularly,” she added.

BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said air purifiers are essential for the city. “The situation in Bengaluru is not the same like Delhi, but we are still taking steps to ensure things don’t deteriorate,” he added

