November 07, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a one-month ultimatum to real estate developers across Mumbai to install air quality monitoring (AQI) sensors at all construction sites or face penalties. The move comes amid growing concerns over worsening air pollution levels in the city following the monsoon withdrawal.
According to civic data, Mumbai currently has around 1,200 active construction sites, but only 45% of them have installed AQI monitors so far. “As of today, nearly 550 developers have installed these monitors, while around 200 of them are in the process of acquiring and installing them. The direction for installing these sensors was issued based on a High Court order that came in 2023, when BMC was directed to monitor whether norms for containing dust displacement were followed in all the construction sites in Mumbai,” said a civic body official.
Authorities had earlier mandated that private builders must install AQI sensors to provide real-time data on dust levels at construction zones. As part of its Mumbai Air Pollution Mitigation Plan (MAPMP), the BMC identified construction dust as one of the key contributors to the city’s deteriorating air quality.
These compact sensors measure particulate matter in the air and display the site’s AQI through LED boards, offering hyperlocal readings. The data will also be integrated with BMC’s central monitoring system. “If any site consistently records poor AQI readings, action will be taken against the developers,” the official added.
To ensure compliance, the BMC, in coordination with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), will deploy inspection teams across all 24 municipal wards. Developers failing to install the required equipment by the end of November will face penalties under municipal regulations.
Mumbai’s AQI recently slipped from the “good” to “poor” category, with several locations recording “very poor” air quality post-Diwali.
Source: The Indian Express
