December 27, 2025: In an effort to curb rising air pollution levels, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has intensified its scrutiny of construction-related emissions and directed developers to adhere to prescribed pollution control norms strictly. Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde underscored the need for greater accountability from the real estate and construction sector during a special meeting attended by more than 70 developers and architects operating within the civic limits.
Dr Shinde emphasised that developers must proactively take responsibility for maintaining environmental quality, noting that all construction sites are required to implement mandated preventive measures to ensure a consistently healthy air quality index across Navi Mumbai. Senior officials from the town planning department were also present at the meeting, reinforcing the civic body’s unified approach to enforcement.
Heightened oversight follows directions issued by the Bombay High Court in a suo motu public interest litigation concerning noise pollution, air pollution and blasting activities. In line with these directions, the civic body has already issued a circular detailing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for construction sites, along with clear penal provisions for non-compliance.
Recent inspections conducted by a monitoring committee revealed that pollution control measures outlined in the SOPs were not being implemented effectively at several sites. Based on these findings, the NMMC has announced a set of enhanced enforcement measures. These include mandatory installation of CCTV cameras and air quality display boards at construction sites, integration of air quality monitoring systems with a centralised dashboard for real-time tracking and alerts, and expansion of the city’s air quality monitoring network.
Developers have also been directed to strictly follow safety and health SOPs for workers, with violations inviting stringent action such as suspension of construction work and cancellation of permissions. Additional measures focus on controlling dust during excavation, daily debris removal, prioritising road washing over fogging, intensifying road cleaning along major corridors, and preventing illegal dumping of construction waste. A special winter drive for road cleaning and dust suppression has also been launched.
While directing developers to ensure full compliance, the NMMC has said it will review practical challenges raised by stakeholders to support effective and consistent implementation of the norms.
