A day after Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone raised concerns about Mumbai’s deteriorating air quality on social media, stating that “the city is choking,” Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde said the civic administration is closely monitoring pollution levels and enforcing strict measures to control emissions from construction activities.
Responding to the actor’s remarks about the rising Air Quality Index (AQI), the mayor emphasised that the civic body listens to the concerns of all citizens, not just public figures.
“We do not listen only to Deepika Padukone but to every Mumbaikar. The AQI has increased and we are continuously reviewing the situation and discussing measures to address it,” she said.
Tawde noted that nearly 2,250 buildings are currently under construction across the city, in addition to large infrastructure projects being carried out by agencies such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, and the Public Works Department.
While acknowledging the importance of ongoing urban development, she said that all agencies and private developers have been directed to strictly follow pollution-control norms. The civic body has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) that must be adhered to at construction sites to limit dust and other emissions.
“If the guidelines are not followed, the BMC issues on-the-spot stop-work notices,” she said, adding that these rules apply to both private builders and public infrastructure projects, including those linked to the Mumbai Metro network.
According to the mayor, builders have been instructed to implement measures such as water sprinkling, regular road cleaning, and maintaining clean access roads for vehicles entering construction sites to minimise dust pollution.
“Our focus is on monitoring these works and keeping the situation under control while ensuring the city continues to develop,” she added.
Meanwhile, parts of Mumbai were covered in a noticeable layer of smog on Friday, although the AQI remained within the ‘satisfactory’ category, with readings below 100.
Source: Hindustan Times
