The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has submitted a revised proposal to resume its road-washing initiative aimed at reducing dust pollution across Mumbai. The civic body has approached the Standing Committee for approval to deploy 213 water tankers for 150 days, covering 377 public roads with a combined length of approximately 677 km.
The earlier proposal was rejected by the Standing Committee in October after members questioned the use of substantial quantities of water for road cleaning amid a 10% water cut in Mumbai. Several localities were also experiencing low water pressure, while drought-like conditions in parts of Maharashtra raised concerns over the allocation of available water resources.
Addressing these objections, the BMC’s Solid Waste Management Department has revised the proposal, clearly stating that drinking water will not be permitted for the exercise. Contractors will be allowed to use only treated sewage water, borewell water and well water. They will also be required to provide details of their water sources.
A civic official said contractors would be directed to strictly follow the non-potable water requirement. The road-washing programme can resume once the Standing Committee grants its approval.
The BMC had introduced regular road washing and water sprinkling to minimise airborne dust, particularly along major roads and frequently used footpaths. The initiative gained momentum following an October 2023 circular directing construction sites to adopt pollution-control measures, including sprinkling water to prevent dust generated by construction and infrastructure work.
The programme was subsequently extended across all 26 municipal wards, covering roads wider than 60 feet and busy pedestrian pathways. The civic body is now seeking fresh contracts as the agreements with previous service providers have expired.
Under the proposed arrangement, tankers with capacities of 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 litres will be deployed to wash the identified roads daily throughout the 150-day period.
Source: Times of India
