Mumbai: Ward offices to blame for bad air we still breathe, activists

Traffic near Kalanagar, one of the five areas picked for the project. File Pic/Nimesh Dave

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) approved a proposal to install five dust mitigation and monitoring systems in highly polluted areas in March 2023, but the project has not yet taken off. Sources claim the ward offices concerned are yet to grant no-objection certificates to set up these machines.

The mitigation and monitoring units are worth Rs 10 crore and have a maintenance period of three years. They would be installed at Haji Ali junction, Kalanagar junction in Bandra, Dahisar Check Naka, Chheda Nagar Junction in Ghatkopar and Mulund Check Naka.

The machines were to be installed at Kalanagar junction and four other congested areas. File Pic/Atul Kamble

According to sources, the civic transport department requested no-objection certificates from the ward offices concerned to install these devices as the latter are aware of the local traffic situation and could suggest suitable areas. However, the department has yet to receive them.

According to an official, the monitoring system allows one to keep track of air quality in real-time as well as relative humidity, temperature and noise levels while the dust mitigation ones can filter particulate matter, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. These machines are small and can even be installed on poles.

A Fort-based civic activist, Sanjay Gurav, said, "The BMC just announces projects. Most of them never start. In this case, the civic authority approved the tender and it's been eight months. The delay can also cause the cost of the project to escalate. Also, the civic body needs to look at the root cause of pollution."

Meanwhile, Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Sudhakar Shinde told mid-day, "I am not aware about this. We are doing a study on smog towers. We are examining information from cities that use these towers before implementing the project."

Rs 10 cr
Cost of the machines