Navi Mumbai’s worsening air quality has triggered a sharp backlash from citizens, who argue that the city’s celebrated “cleanliness” accolades fail to reflect the pollution residents are forced to breathe. Concerned over deteriorating environmental conditions, a citizens’ network has lodged a detailed memorandum demanding stronger enforcement against major polluters and greater transparency in air quality monitoring.
The group, comprising residents from multiple nodes, appealed to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). In their submission, they questioned how Navi Mumbai continues to rank among India’s “cleanest cities” while Air Quality Index (AQI) readings have repeatedly entered the ‘very poor’ category. According to real-time monitoring data, Belapur and Nerul recently recorded AQI levels exceeding 230, posing serious risks to human health. “Measuring cleanliness only by visible infrastructure is deeply inadequate,” said a member of the group. Air quality, they argue, should be considered central to any evaluation of urban well-being — especially in a city marketed as a modern, planned alternative to Mumbai.
Health experts note that prolonged exposure to PM2.5 particulate matter — currently elevated across several Navi Mumbai areas — is linked to asthma, respiratory infections, and heightened vulnerability among children and the elderly. Residents are particularly troubled by frequent disruptions in MPCB’s published data, attributed to “internet failures” at monitoring stations. The memorandum claims these lapses mask the true severity of the pollution crisis and undermine public trust in environmental reporting. Activists insist that the city, home to MPCB’s own regional office, should demonstrate far stronger governance and accountability. Several localities continue to struggle with dust from ongoing land development by CIDCO, emissions from ready-mix concrete plants, quarry operations, unregulated construction works, and traffic congestion. Without stringent pollution control, citizens argue, Navi Mumbai’s growth story risks becoming environmentally unsustainable.
Among their demands, the group has urged authorities to prepare a binding Air Pollution Emergency Action Plan for winter months, when pollution levels typically escalate. They also want an independent source-apportionment study by a nationally recognised institution such as the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), alongside improved road-cleaning fleets, dust-suppression protocols, and decisive action against chronic violators. The submission seeks mandatory real-time display boards at major junctions, dedicated respiratory clinics in municipal hospitals, and the banning of diesel generator sets in non-emergency settings. The complaint has also been forwarded to the Maharashtra Chief Minister and the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, calling for the inclusion of air quality as a compulsory measure in government-led cleanliness rankings.
Residents emphasise that Navi Mumbai’s ambition to be a clean, equitable and liveable urban centre must extend beyond aesthetics. As one activist stated, “A clean city is not a photo-op — it is a commitment to every citizen’s right to breathe safely.”
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Navi Mumbai Battles Toxic Air As AQI Soars, Citizens Demand Accountability
