In a significant step towards combating mosquito-borne diseases, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), in collaboration with the Northern Railway, on Friday launched the ‘mosquito terminator train’ from the New Delhi railway station.
The campaign aims to curb the spread of dengue, malaria and chikungunya across the Capital.
Flagging off the special train, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said the initiative would help protect citizens from health hazards caused by mosquito breeding along railway tracks. “This is not just a train, but a shield to safeguard the health of Delhiites. It will reach areas that cannot be manually accessed,” he said.
The train, equipped with a power sprayer mounted on a truck placed on a railway wagon, will spray anti-larval chemicals along both sides of the tracks within a 50-60m radius. Waterlogged areas near railway lines are often breeding grounds for mosquitoes during the monsoon season.
MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar called the initiative a major public health effort and stressed the importance of citizen participation.
“The Municipal Corporation is carrying out cleanliness and mosquito eradication drives in a mission mode. However, the campaign will succeed only if every household ensures there is no stagnant water in and around their premises,” he said, adding that collective action was crucial to check the spread of diseases.
The Commissioner said the campaign would continue till September. He noted that the number of dengue cases reported this year was significantly lower compared to last year.