Mumbai AQI: BMC issues ‘stop work’ notices to 53 construction sites

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has issued lsquostop workrsquo notices to 53 construction sites across the city for allegedly violating airpollution control guidelines and contributing to rising pollution levels officials said on ThursdayThe action follows surprise inspections conducted in several wards after air quality worsened in November they saidAdditional Municipal Commissioner City Dr Ashwini Joshi warned that strict action will be taken if sensorbased Air Quality Index AQI monitoring systems at construction sites are found switched off She stressed that all pollutioncontrol systems must operate continuously and no lapse will be toleratedThe inspections were carried out under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani with oversight from Deputy Municipal Commissioner Environment amp Climate Change Avinash KateMeasures currently being implemented include the use of clean fuel in bakeries and crematoriums introduction of more electric buses scientific processing of construction debris and the use of misting machines to control roadside dust an official statement saidMidday Analysis Peak pollution recorded in winter Read moreThe BMC had issued a set of 28point guidelines on October 15 2024 to control dust and emissions at construction sites These include metal barricading green cloth covering regular watersprinkling scientific storage and transport of debris installation of airquality sensors and smokecontrol systemsTo ensure compliance flying squads have been deployed across all wards Up to November 26 2025 the teams issued notices to 53 sites 17 sites in Siddharth Nagar G South Ward 5 sites in Mazgaon E Ward 31 sites in Malad West P North WardDuring a review on November 27 Dr Joshi noted that 662 airquality sensors have been installed at construction sites while 251 more are in the process of being added Of the 400 sensors linked to the central monitoring dashboard 117 were found inactive The 95 flying squads will act against any site operating with inactive sensors the statement saidIt said that the bakeries also contribute to urban pollution Of Mumbairsquos 593 bakeries 209 were already using clean fuel and another 57 have switched over and 75 bakeries have made the transition in the past six months An additional 88 bakeries have applied for Mahanagar Gas connectionsThe BMC said action against pollutioncausing activities will continue It appealed to all builders and contractors to strictly follow the prescribed guidelines and support the cityrsquos pollutioncontrol efforts officials saidMidday Analysis Most AQI spikes seen in winterAbout 40 per cent of the worst AQI Air Quality Index days recorded in Mumbai in 2023 and 2024 occurred during the winter months of December January and February according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB analysed by middayIn 2023 Mumbai recorded 145 days in the lsquomoderatersquo AQI category and 35 days in the lsquopoorrsquo category totalling 180 days of bad air Of these 45 days were in winter mdash 4055 per cent of the totalSimilarly in 2024 the city again saw 145 lsquomoderatersquo days and 2 lsquopoorrsquo days with 70 of those days falling in winter mdash 3945 per cent of the total