A court-appointed expert committee has recommended installing continuous air quality monitoring systems at Mumbai’s largest waste processing facility in Kanjurmarg, marking a potential shift in how environmental risks are managed near densely populated residential areas. The recommendations were submitted to the Bombay High Court through civic authorities and aim to tackle long-standing concerns about air pollution, odour and public health around the dumping ground.
The panel was formed following directions from the court in an ongoing public interest litigation related to environmental compliance and the well-being of local residents. Its assessment involved a technical comparison between the Kanjurmarg site and a recently operational municipal waste management facility in Lucknow.
Officials familiar with the report said the committee identified transparency and access to real-time environmental data as major shortcomings in Mumbai’s current waste management framework, particularly in neighbourhoods located close to large waste processing operations.
Among its key recommendations is the installation of a continuous Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring station at the Kanjurmarg site, accompanied by a public display board showing real-time pollution readings. Urban planning experts believe that publicly accessible data could improve trust between residents and authorities while enabling quicker responses during pollution spikes.
The report also recommends strengthening the site’s green buffer zone and enforcing stricter sanitary landfill practices to reduce odour and environmental stress in surrounding areas.
According to the study, many of Kanjurmarg’s challenges arise not from outdated technology but from the scale of operations and its proximity to residential zones. The facility processes nearly 6,000 tonnes of waste daily—about 86 per cent of Mumbai’s total municipal waste—compared with roughly 2,100 tonnes handled by the Lucknow facility.
Experts involved in the assessment highlighted odour as the most persistent complaint from residents, particularly during cooler evenings. The committee suggested immediate steps such as expanding misting systems, increasing deodorant dosing in composting and landfill areas, and introducing mobile odour monitoring for quicker grievance resolution.
In the medium term, feasibility studies have been recommended for installing bio-filters and odour scrubbers at key processing units. Over the longer term, the panel suggested transforming the site into an integrated waste management complex that combines waste-to-energy facilities for dry waste, bio-methanation plants for wet waste and scientifically managed landfills for inert material.
The committee also proposed reorganising internal operations at the site and relocating material recovery facilities closer to landfill zones, which could free up land to develop a dense green buffer.
Environmental economists say such measures could help lower health risks, stabilise property values in neighbouring areas and align Mumbai’s waste management approach with climate-resilient urban planning.
The Bombay High Court is expected to review the committee’s findings in the coming weeks before issuing further directions, a decision that could influence how large-scale infrastructure facilities are managed within Mumbai’s increasingly compact urban environment.
Source: Urban Acres
