The civic authority of Mumbai has directed real estate developers and contractors of infrastructure-related works to follow pollution control measures in the backdrop of a deterioration in air quality in the country’s commercial capital over the last few days.Construction, including private and infrastructure work led by the government, is currently underway at 6,000 locations and sites in Mumbai.
While the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) will issue detailed guidelines in the next few days, municipal commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal has stated that projects being undertaken by both private as well as government bodies will be stopped if these measures are not followed.
Following directions from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that expressed concern over air quality index of Mumbai, Chahal interacted with state government agencies including MMRDA, MMRCL, MHADA and SRA, real estate developers’ bodies Credai and Naredco, and architects’ body PEATA on Friday.
“Hardly 10 to 15 days have passed since the end of the monsoon…it is being observed that the air quality is adversely affected in the Mumbai region and also in the Mumbai metropolis,” Chahal said.
The central and state governments have taken note of it and have instructed the local body to implement immediate measures, he added.
“Dust is a major factor behind the increase in air pollution,” Chahal said, adding that there is a need to take measures to prevent and control dust and other factors that cause pollution.
All the government agencies in Mumbai need to coordinate with each other and take urgent and mandatory measures, he said.
Apart from construction, Chahal has also instructed that efforts should be made by projects related to electricity, energy and gas in Mumbai to control the air pollution caused.
As per the instructions, under-construction buildings with a height of 70 metres or more are required to establish a 35-foot barricade around the construction site area while buildings with a height of less than 70 metres need a 25-foot barricade. Layouts exceeding an acre must also maintain a 35-foot barricade, while those under an acre need to maintain a 25-foot barricade.
Installation of a sprinkler system on key plot and site areas is mandatory, with regular misting throughout the day during construction.
Green cloth or jute sheet coverings need to be deployed at construction sites regardless of the construction stage. Any uncovered building under construction will face stop-work notices.
All construction sites are expected to be equipped with air quality monitoring equipment and developers are granted a 15-day window to procure and deploy apparatus on their sites.
During the demolition of existing buildings, it is advised to cover the structure to prevent the dispersal of dust into the air.
Vehicles are not to be overloaded, and CCTV cameras need to be placed at sites to monitor the cleanliness of vehicles, including tire cleaning, and washing. All these guidelines will apply to both private and government projects.
Chahal has also instructed that special teams need to be constituted to inspect the construction sites under all the 24 administrative divisions of the municipal corporation. At least 50 teams should be appointed in each ward and these teams will make surprise visits to the construction sites and shoot live videos. Any deficiency found in the measures will result in an immediate stop work notice for that construction site, he said.
