Amid rising concerns about noise and air pollution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering restricting construction work across Mumbai to between 7 am and 7 pm. Currently, construction activity in the city is permitted from 6 am to 10 pm.
The proposal comes at a time when Mumbai is witnessing a significant surge in infrastructure development. According to civic officials, there are more than 2,200 active construction sites across the city. Of these, around 1,200 to 1,300 involve large-scale projects with investments exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.
The move to revise construction timings was suggested by senior BJP corporator Alka Kelkar. Her proposal is scheduled to be discussed at a general body meeting on March 17.
Construction work timings were extended in 2016 when the then municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta issued a circular allowing activity until 10 pm as part of an ‘Ease of Doing Business’ initiative. Before that change, construction was restricted to between 7 am and 7 pm.
However, the increase in redevelopment and infrastructure projects has led to growing complaints about noise and dust pollution. Civic representatives are now reconsidering the earlier relaxation of the rules.
“Despite the restriction, developers and contractors continue to work beyond prescribed hours. The noise of machinery used for such construction work disturbs peace at night as well as disturbs the sleep of elderly, kids and the sick. Besides this, owing to lack of supervision, developers also turn a blind eye to the rules pertaining to construction activity, and flout norms like sprinkling of water,” said Kelkar in a proposal which is slated to be tabled before the general body for deliberation on March 17.
With experts linking rising pollution levels to construction dust, the BMC has intensified inspections at construction sites. Ward-level officials are now monitoring compliance with a 28-point guideline aimed at reducing pollution.
On February 26, state minister Pankaja Munde said authorities had issued 1,981 show-cause notices and 1,047 stop-work notices to construction sites that violated regulations between October 2025 and January 2026. Out of 2,224 active sites, nearly 88 percent had installed low-cost air quality sensors by January.
Source: The Indian Express
