NEW DELHI: Technology will be used to ensure better air quality along the route of the Delhi Half Marathon to be held on October 21 . The organisers will use systems like ultra high frequency radio pulses, mist fans and pollution removing reagents to reduce pollutants in the air, and thus prepare a less dangerous course for the 35,000 athletes from across the world slated to participate in the run.The 14th Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will start its 10-km course this year at the New Delhi Municipal Council headquarters on Jai Singh Marg, close to Jantar Mantar. Procam International, the organisers, said the race would be a green event with improved health facilities for the participants.The marathon is being conducted a month before its normal schedule. “We had to bring all our stakeholders into the picture and assure them that the air quality is better at this time, so it is a better time for conducting the marathon,” said Vivek Singh, joint managing director, Procam International.Singh said that despite the possibility of less severe pollution at this time of the year, several measures have been taken to provide the runners with a suitable environment. The organisers are using the patented and ecologically safe UHF radio pulses over the course to catalyse clearance of air pollutants through dry deposition. The innovative Pure Skies System employs radio frequency transmission to reduce pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants less than 10 microns in size.Singh added, “We will also use ecologically safe reagents and mist fans at various heights and live spray up to 20 feet to increase the precipitation of suspended particulate matter.” From the midnight before the race, the entire 10-km course would be washed with an ecologically safe reagent, mixed with effluent treated water to avoid the rise of dust and settled SPM. Srikanth Sola, the co-founder of the system, explained that this would allow the pollutants to collide and fall to the ground, reducing the possibility of their being inhaled by the runners.Runners will also get better health facilities, including a fully equipped base camp with 35 beds, six medical stations along the route and some 75 doctors on call on the race day.Eish Singhal, deputy commissioner (Traffic, south range), assured the participants that despite the changes, “the 14th edition of the marathon will offer the same experience as earlier”.

Stay updated with all the Delhi Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.