The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued stringent new guidelines targeting stone crushers, hot mix plants, and ready-mix concrete (RMC) factories to address the escalating air pollution in Mumbai and its metropolitan region. The move comes amid mounting concerns over declining air quality, compounded by rapid urbanisation and an uptick in construction activities.
Captive-ready mix concrete projects are now required to allocate a minimum of 20,000 square metres within construction project zones. Additionally, all existing captive RMC projects must transition to fully enclosed (boxed) setups within three months. To ensure compliance, a bank guarantee of ₹10 lakh must be deposited with the MPCB. For projects that are already 70% complete, captive RMC plants must be relocated within a month. RMC factories in municipal or city council areas will require MPCB committee approval. Furthermore, such projects must maintain a minimum distance of 500 metres from highways, schools, colleges, hospitals, and courts. For projects outside urban areas, a minimum space of 4,000 square metres has been mandated.
For new commercial RMC projects, box-type enclosures must be established within three months, supported by a ₹25 lakh bank guarantee. The MPCB has also prohibited any capacity expansion for RMC plants associated with new commercial projects. Although guidelines to control pollution from RMC factories were first introduced in 2016, the rapid pace of development in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) necessitated these updates. Over the past six months, additional guidelines for various construction activities, including bakeries, stone crushers, and RMC units, have been implemented to combat air quality deterioration. The MPCB’s latest measures aim to balance urban growth with environmental preservation. These steps are expected to alleviate air pollution challenges and ensure public health and environmental sustainability in the fast-developing Mumbai region. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Tightens Norms to Curb Air Pollution in Mumbai region.
