Ongoing infrastructure work along Mumbai’s key east–west corridor in Santacruz East has triggered rising civic concern, with persistent dust pollution prompting questions over construction management and environmental safeguards in densely populated neighbourhoods.
The affected stretch runs along Hans Bhugra Marg, near an important feeder route connecting to the Santacruz–Chembur Link Road (SCLR). Although the project is intended to enhance cross-city connectivity in the long run, commuters and local residents say continuous construction activity has led to thick dust clouds, affecting both public health and traffic safety—particularly during peak hours.
Daily users of the corridor, including roadside workers, report that mitigation efforts such as periodic water spraying have provided only short-lived relief. Urban planning experts note that watering alone is insufficient in high-traffic construction zones, as fine particles quickly resurface once moisture evaporates, especially without systematic debris removal or surface stabilisation.
Officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) have acknowledged that several agencies are simultaneously operating in the same area. Activities such as debris segregation and transport are occurring alongside finishing work on a proposed 30-metre-wide connector aimed at improving last-mile access. Experts caution that overlapping responsibilities can create enforcement gaps if coordination is not tightly managed.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed that trucks carrying debris remain covered and that exposed surfaces be regularly dampened. However, transport specialists argue that modern best practices call for dust barriers, wheel-washing systems, soil stabilisers and mechanised sweeping—measures that remain inconsistently implemented.
The area beneath the SCLR flyover has emerged as a particularly problematic zone, with accumulated rubble and heavy truck movement reducing visibility and worsening respiratory discomfort. Experts emphasise that as Mumbai accelerates infrastructure expansion, integrating environmental safeguards during construction will be critical to ensuring that mobility gains do not come at the cost of public health.
Source: Urban Acres
