Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 8: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has intensified action against construction projects violating dust pollution control norms, issuing stop-work notices to 835 sites and show-cause notices to 977 others between January and June this year.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns over deteriorating air quality in Mumbai and following directions from the Bombay High Court, which had criticised the civic body for failing to effectively control dust pollution and urged stricter enforcement measures.
The BMC had issued guidelines in October 2023 making pollution-control measures mandatory at construction sites after the city's air quality worsened. However, inspections have continued to reveal widespread violations of the prescribed norms.
Officials said action is being taken against projects that fail to comply with the 28 guidelines mandated for construction and development activities. Violators are being served show-cause notices and, in serious cases, stop-work notices.
To monitor compliance, the civic body has deployed 96 inspection teams across its 24 administrative wards. Despite these efforts, several construction sites continue to flout the regulations.
According to the BMC's Environment and Climate Change Department and ward-level administrations, a total of 3,093 construction sites across Mumbai have been inspected. Numerous deficiencies in dust-control measures were detected during these inspections, prompting action against the concerned developers and contractors.
Among the key guidelines are the installation of metal or sheet barricades at least 35 feet high around high-rise construction sites, complete covering of construction structures with green nets or tarpaulin sheets, and ensuring that demolition work is carried out with the structure fully covered from top to bottom.
The rules also mandate regular water sprinkling on debris, soil and dust-generating materials, covering all vehicles transporting construction materials, carrying out grinding and cutting work within enclosed spaces, and ensuring that transport vehicles possess valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates.
Data collected through AutoDCR and civic departments show that Mumbai currently has 3,093 active construction sites. Of these, 2,938 sites have installed sensor-based air quality monitoring devices to track pollution levels.
Meanwhile, a proposal to impose a fine of ?1 lakh on developers and contractors violating dust-control norms remains pending. The BMC had announced the penalty last year, but implementation has been delayed as the existing municipal law does not contain a specific provision for imposing such a fine.
Officials said approval from the Maharashtra government is required before the penalty can be enforced. Sources indicated that the necessary legal framework is yet to be finalised and that the proposal has not yet been formally submitted to the state government for approval.
With construction activity continuing across Mumbai, civic authorities have reiterated their commitment to stricter monitoring and enforcement to curb dust pollution and improve the city's air quality.