December 5, 2025: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has ordered the closure of 19 ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) after a compliance survey revealed serious violations of environmental norms. The board stated that the action was prompted by plants operating without essential dust-control systems, emission-management mechanisms, and mandatory statutory permissions.
In its statement on Wednesday, the MPCB said that multiple enforcement teams have been carrying out physical inspections across Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, and Panvel, and that stringent checks will continue throughout the winter when pollution levels typically rise. The board operates 32 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) in the region, with 14 of these managed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Real-time data from these stations is displayed publicly through the Central Pollution Control Board’s dashboard and media platforms.
To identify pollution hotspots, the board has also deployed 22 mobile air quality monitoring vans across Maharashtra. These vehicles have been assessing emission levels in areas with dense clusters of RMC plants. The MPCB cautioned that violations detected during these checks will attract strict environmental action.
The board highlighted that revised operational guidelines for RMC units issued in October 2023 are now under active review to verify ground-level implementation. During the latest survey, four units in Deonar and Govandi—Om Global Operation, SSG Ltd, Rambha Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Unity Construction Pvt Ltd—were ordered to shut down, while three of these operators submitted a bank guarantee of Rs 5 lakh each.
Further action was taken against unauthorised metal furnaces in Sanjay Gandhi Nagar and Sion, which have been instructed to cease operations. The BMC has been directed to begin dismantling procedures, while the Mumbai Port Trust has been asked to impose preventive restrictions in the Wadala–Mahim belt after emissions were detected.
In total, six units each in Thane and Navi Mumbai, along with nine in Kalyan, were found violating norms, bringing the total closures to 19. MPCB member secretary M. M. Devendra Singh personally participated in field inspections and urged industries to comply with regulatory standards.
An RMC unit manufactures pre-mixed concrete used at construction sites, combining cement, water, and aggregates such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone.
Source: ET Energy World
