Mumbai is currently experiencing a significant urban makeover driven by a flurry of building rehabilitation projects, new metro lines, and extended road networks. While these initiatives are crucial for the city’s rejuvenation and economic progress, they are also contributing to deteriorating air pollution levels, particularly due to increased dust and particulate matter from construction operations.
In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was compelled to implement Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4) regulations in January to mitigate pollution caused by ongoing construction work.
However, Domnic Romell, President of CREDAI-MCHI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India – Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry), has presented a contrasting viewpoint on the root cause of Mumbai’s air pollution.
Speaking at the press launch for the Ease of Doing Redevelopment (EODR) 2.0 exhibition set to be held on 12 April—Romell stated, “The BMC is taking considerable measures, such as screening floors and installing sprinklers. These practices contain dust effectively. The main source of pollution, in my opinion, is large-scale infrastructure projects rather than redevelopment efforts.”
The EODR 2.0 aims to unite housing society representatives with key industry stakeholders to promote transparent, efficient, and future-ready redevelopment processes.
According to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), more than 2,000 redevelopment projects are now in progress around Mumbai, each at varying degrees of construction.
Stressing the importance of redevelopment in shaping Mumbai’s future, Romell added, “Redevelopment is no longer a matter of choice—it’s a necessity. Through EODR 2.0, we’re striving to bring clarity and transparency to redevelopment, benefiting thousands of housing societies across the city.”
Source: ET Infra
