BMC May Lift Construction Ban in Borivali and Byculla as AQI Improves

 Borivali East, Byculla, Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is closely monitoring the air quality in Borivli East and Byculla to determine if the construction ban should be lifted, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) improves. The BMC has decided to wait 24 more hours before making a final call on the restriction’s removal, as the AQI in areas like Navy Nagar and Shivaji Nagar have come down to 200.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), however, has issued notices to BMC and MMRDA for breaching pollution control measures at major construction sites, including the Coastal Road project in Worli and the BKC Metro work site. The MPCB expressed concerns about the adherence to dust-mitigation protocols.

Siddhesh Kadam, chairman of MPCB, emphasized that both BMC and MMRDA must follow pollution mitigation guidelines to avoid penalties. Meanwhile, the BMC is addressing critical issues related to sewage treatment in Mumbai, including temporary solutions until the completion of major sewage projects by 2027.

The MPCB has also raised concerns with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) for discrepancies in AQI readings from its Colaba monitoring station and recommended recalibration.

Stay tuned as the BMC continues to assess air quality conditions to ensure a safer environment for the people of Mumbai.