June 9, 2025: In a bid to enhance real-time air quality monitoring around Mumbai’s construction sites, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to procure five handheld ambient air quality monitoring devices as part of a pilot initiative. Each device, costing approximately Rs 5 lakh, will enable engineers to track pollutant levels and Air Quality Index (AQI) data at the ground level.
These portable monitors will be used exclusively by BMC engineers to gather data on particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10) and various pollutant gases, facilitating immediate action when thresholds are exceeded. A senior civic official noted, “Although courts have mandated that construction sites must install monitoring systems, our engineers also need tools to independently verify air quality levels. These devices will ensure that data collection is consistent and accurate as we implement pollution mitigation measures.”
Currently, Mumbai has around 25 air quality monitoring stations—11 operated by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), nine under SAFAR, and five managed by BMC. The civic body also plans to set up five additional Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS). However, unlike these large and stationary systems, the new handheld devices are compact and mobile, allowing engineers to assess air quality at various sites, especially when abnormal readings or complaints are reported.
The devices will measure key pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), methane (CH₄), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), as well as temperature, humidity, and moisture levels.
The BMC’s Environment and Climate Change Department has already floated a tender for procurement. If the pilot proves successful, the civic body may expand the initiative to include more units in the future.
Source: The Indian Express
