The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will take strict action against developers and construction contractors who fail to control dust at construction sites and on adjoining roads, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said during a review meeting on October 27. The civic body also ordered officials to ensure that air-quality monitoring stations and sensors remain operational and display accurate readings.
Bhide directed civic officials to implement the BMC’s 28-point guidelines for controlling air pollution at construction sites. The commissioner said the guidelines must be enforced on the ground and not remain limited to official paperwork, according to the civic body.
Developers and construction contractors have been instructed to keep construction areas clean, prevent dust from spreading into the air and comply with prescribed construction-site regulations. BMC departments were asked to coordinate their work, conduct regular inspections and take prompt action wherever violations are found.
The directions place responsibility for construction-related dust control on builders and contractors as Mumbai continues to manage pollution from multiple urban activities. The BMC said officials must inspect both construction sites and adjoining roads while ensuring that pollution-control measures are implemented consistently.
The commissioner separately ordered action against those responsible if air-quality monitoring stations, sensors and related equipment were found switched off or displaying incorrect data. The departments concerned were instructed to keep the systems operational and ensure that readings accurately reflect local air conditions.
The BMC also directed officials to use modern equipment for road cleaning and organise special cleanliness drives to control dust. The departments were asked to work together to achieve tangible improvements in the city’s air quality, although the civic body did not specify the number of inspections planned or penalties to be imposed under the latest directions.
The review meeting also considered the implementation of the Bombay High Court’s directions on noise pollution caused by firecrackers and its health impacts. According to the BMC, firecrackers are prohibited on public roads, lanes and footpaths, as well as in silence zones around schools, hospitals, government offices and courts.
Bhide instructed civic officials to enforce these restrictions at ward level and conduct public-awareness campaigns on noise pollution and the health risks associated with firecrackers. Officials were asked to work with local public representatives and organise awareness initiatives for students in government and private schools.
The commissioner also urged citizens to use green firecrackers instead of those that cause higher pollution. Additional Municipal Commissioner Eastern Suburbs Avinash Dhakane, Deputy Commissioner in the Municipal Commissioner’s Office Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change Avinash Kate, and other senior civic officials attended the meeting. The BMC said departments would continue coordinated inspections, road-cleaning drives and ward-level enforcement under the directions issued at the review meeting.
