Mumbai's Construction Sites Lag in Air Quality Sensor Installation

Mumbai city was engulfed in a blanket of smog on Thursday evening, significantly reducing visibility and worsening air quality across the region. The smog is a stark reminder of the ongoing air pollution crisis in the city, which has been exacerbated by various factors, including construction activities.

Data with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shows that only 21 per cent of the construction sites in the city have complied with the mandatory requirement of installing air quality sensors so far. According to figures with the civic body, only 662 of the total 3,100 construction sites in Mumbai have installed sensors, with officials maintaining that the installation of such sensors is underway at 251 other sites.

Earlier this year, the BMC had instructed all construction sites within its limits to install sensors to track the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the area, besides erecting an LED board to display its readings at the site’s main entrance. The idea behind the move is that when the sensors show the AQI reaching ‘unsafe’ or ‘poor’ levels, the ongoing work could either be stopped or mitigation measures initiated, like sprinkling of water.

The BMC, in its Mumbai Air Pollution Action Plan (MAPAP), had identified dust displacement from construction sites to be a primary contributing factor to the city’s plummeting air quality. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to combat air pollution, which has become a significant public health concern in recent years.

Meanwhile, civic officials have maintained that they have been sending notices to real estate firms to ensure the sensors are installed at the earliest. “For sites that are not following the rules, we are sending a ‘stop work’ notice. So far, we have sent 53 such notices to real estate firms across Mumbai,” said an official.

Further, the BMC has deployed 450 junior officers to carry out site visits. These officers are visiting construction sites to check if they have installed the sensors and whether the readings are displayed accurately. They are also keeping a record of the sites that are yet to comply with the rules.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mumbai’s overall AQI stood at 113 on Monday, which is regarded as ‘moderate’. Last week, after locations like Mazgaon, Deonar, and Malad recorded poor AQI consistently, the BMC had imposed Stage-4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in these locations in a bid to check the pollution. GRAP has four stages, with Stage 4 being the basic stage and Stage 1 being the advanced one.

The efforts to improve air quality in Mumbai are crucial, as the city continues to face the adverse effects of pollution. The installation of air quality sensors at construction sites is just one part of a comprehensive plan to ensure cleaner and healthier air for the residents of Mumbai.