The Thane Municipal Corporation has issued show-cause notices to 68 construction sites and imposed fines totalling Rs 35 lakh after inspecting 80 sites across six municipal ward areas for dust-control and air-pollution compliance, officials said.
The inspection drive was carried out by the civic body’s Pollution Control Department as part of measures to curb construction-related pollution and improve air quality in the city. Officials checked whether sites had adequate arrangements to prevent dust and other pollutants from spreading into surrounding areas.
The action was taken in accordance with directions issued by the High Power Committee constituted by the Bombay High Court under a suo motu public interest litigation of 2023, according to the civic body. The Thane Municipal Corporation said it was implementing the prescribed measures within its jurisdiction.
The inspections covered Naupada-Kopri, Uthalsar, Mumbra, Kalwa, Majiwada-Manpada and Vartak Nagar. Naupada-Kopri and Uthalsar recorded the highest number of inspections, with 58 construction sites checked and 52 show-cause notices issued.
In Mumbra, three sites were inspected and two notices were issued. In Kalwa, all seven inspected sites received notices. Majiwada-Manpada and Vartak Nagar together accounted for 12 inspections and seven notices.
The civic body said fines amounting to Rs 35 lakh were imposed in Majiwada-Manpada and Vartak Nagar for violations of prescribed rules. The source report did not specify how the fines were distributed between the two ward areas or whether the show-cause notices and fines applied to the same sites in every case.
The Pollution Control Department’s checks included dust-control arrangements, compliance with prescribed guidelines and other measures adopted by construction sites to limit air pollution. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had issued 29 guidelines through a letter dated November 2, 2023, directing their strict implementation under Section 31A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
The inspection drive also covered the stretch between Kapurbawdi Junction and Gaimukh. Representatives of Metro and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority were involved in the exercise, and the concerned agencies were instructed to follow the prescribed pollution-control guidelines along the route.
Construction activity is a significant enforcement challenge for civic authorities because dust-control measures have to be maintained at active sites while excavation, material handling and transport continue. The Thane action places compliance across private construction sites and major infrastructure works under the same inspection framework described by the civic body.
The TMC warned that developers found violating Bombay High Court directions or failing to comply with MPCB guidelines would face legal action under the applicable rules. Chief Environment Officer Vidya Sawant said inspections and enforcement measures would continue to improve air quality and protect residents’ health.
