Mumbai: Rampant construction work leaves Juhu residents gasping for air

The locality in Juhu which has been plagued by noise and air pollution. Pics/Sameer Markande

Fed up about constant noise and air pollution due to several construction projects, Juhu residents have told mid-day no action is being taken against polluters despite locals complaining to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to intervene in the matter.

Actress Tejaswini Kolhapure, a resident of the same locality, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her concerns about the environmental impact of the ongoing construction. In her tweet, she highlighted the disregard for construction guidelines issued by the BMC, leading to disturbances in the daily lives of citizens.

Kolhapure told mid-day, "Construction projects have increased lately. Due to this, the dust and noise pollution has also increased. It seems the BMC is not at all concerned about making the developers follow the rules. Sadly, the BMC is not even intervening after a letter from the Gulmohar association was sent to the ward office on February 1."

The actress had posted on X, "Citizens of #gulmohar have been complaining since March 2023 regarding air and noise pollution, especially the lane of Gulmohar cross 12, sharing letters sent to the authorities (sic)."

Residents claim that builders are flouting BMC guidelines, with construction work continuing without any time restrictions. This unrestricted construction is not only disrupting the peace but also causing safety hazards as debris is being dumped on the roads. The residents' body has written to the BMC and MPCB, seeking immediate action to address the escalating pollution levels and safety concerns. They have urged the authorities to ensure strict adherence to guidelines and to impose time limits on construction activities to minimise disruptions to daily life.

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The letter

The letter written by Gulmohar area's society welfare group to the ward office states, "We, the concerned residents of the locality, are writing to bring to your attention several construction sites in our area that violate crucial rules set by the BMC for maintaining environmental balance and preventing hazards. The various violations, including the absence of smog guns, is contributing to air pollution in the vicinity; construction activities often exceed permissible hours, causing severe noise pollution and disturbance to the surrounding area. Inadequate and irregular sprinkling of water resulting in dust pollution. The use of heavy vehicles used for debris removal are contributing to congestion and air pollution, construction vehicles are frequently overloaded, constant use of machinery deteriorating road conditions."

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Resident Speak

A resident requesting anonymity said, "The BMC is not at all concerned about residents. Builders usually get their work done the way they want but residents are the ones who have to suffer. Unfortunately, ward officers will never act even if multiple complaints have been lodged against such practices. The decibel rules are not followed… I have written a letter to the ward officer regarding this issue. We have also urged the local MLA Ameet Satam to look into the matter."

Amit Sheth, another resident, said, "Construction work is the main reason dust and sound pollution has increased in the locality. Builders usually sprinkle some water on the roads but that is not adequate for the dust to settle. Heavy machinery usage starts at 6 am and ends at 10 pm, sometimes going on till midnight. The number of cases related to breathing issues has also increased. Also, the builders are not using green cloth, which is supposed to be tied up to a certain height to make sure the dust pollution is reduced."

Bhagwan Kesbhat of Waatavaran Foundation said, "The Juhu locality is facing a severe issue of dust pollution due to the demolition of buildings for reconstruction. Suspended dust particles are causing a rise in respiratory diseases in the locality. Ward officers are supposed to take stringent action against builders if the rules set for the construction are not followed by developers. If the ward officers are not taking action, the issue should be escalated to the higher authorities."

Responding to queries, Dr Prithviraj Chauhan, Assistant Commission K/West War said "In Juhu, nearly 54 development sites are in progress, with 20 nearing completion. The remaining 34 sites are largely under the jurisdiction of the MHADA Planning Authority, and this office has issued IR/Show cause notices to all of them. This Office has also informed the MHADA Authority of the Developers' noncompliance with air pollution limits. However, for the past week, the Air Quality Index in Juhu and VileParle West has been below 100. Furthermore, this agency collects noise pollution complaints under the Air Pollution Mitigation Guidelines, which apply to the police department. The air pollution index for Vileparle West is under control."

When asked about the list of the developers who have been issued a show cause notice, Dr Chauhan said, "I don't find it appropriate to give the list in media as the developers will need to face infamy."