The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has replaced conventional road-cleaning equipment with 29 dust-suction machines to reduce airborne dust and tackle pollution across Mumbai. The civic body has also reported progress in shifting bakeries to cleaner fuels, alongside an improvement in the number of days with better air quality.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakne said on Thursday that 26 of the 29 machines were operational, while the remaining three were expected to become functional by the following week. The change came after concerns that older cleaning equipment was spreading dust rather than effectively controlling it.
Dhakne appealed to residents to limit unnecessary private vehicle use and refrain from bursting firecrackers. He emphasised that improving the city’s air quality required cooperation from both authorities and citizens.
Bakeries transition to cleaner energy
Mumbai has 593 bakeries, of which 209 were already using cleaner fuels, while 175 had completed the transition. Another 69 establishments were in the process of switching, whereas 87 remained non-compliant and eight had shut down.
According to Dhakne, 87 per cent of the city’s bakeries had shifted to electricity or compressed natural gas (CNG). He cautioned that establishments failing to meet pollution-control requirements would be required to close or move their operations outside Mumbai.
The BMC has been encouraging businesses to adopt cleaner energy sources as part of its broader efforts to curb emissions and improve air quality. The status of non-compliant bakeries remains a concern for the civic administration.
More days of better air quality recorded
Mumbai registered 231 days with ‘Good’ or ‘Satisfactory’ air quality up to October 22, 2026, according to figures released by the BMC. This was higher than the 218 days recorded in 2025, 216 days in 2024 and 185 days in 2023.
The increase indicates an improvement in the number of days when pollution levels remained within the two better air-quality categories. However, the civic body continues to face challenges from road dust, vehicle emissions and other pollution sources.
The introduction of dust-suction equipment and the transition to cleaner fuels form part of Mumbai’s continuing efforts to address air pollution and improve environmental conditions across the city.
Source: Mid-day
