Mumbai Faces Pollution Emergency as Authorities Consider Tougher Anti-Smoke Measures

Mumbai Chokes Under Severe Smog, BMC Considers Tough Anti-Pollution Measures

Mumbai woke up under a thick haze this week as air quality plummeted to “severe” levels across several areas, prompting authorities to consider implementing the city’s strictest pollution-control measures under GRAP-4, similar to Delhi.

Neighbourhoods like Mazgaon, Deonar, Malad, Borivali East, Andheri East (Chakala), Navy Nagar, Powai, and Mulund were among the worst affected, with residents reporting breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and poor visibility.

Civic officials cited local sources for the spike in pollution. “Bakeries in Mazgaon and open garbage burning in Deonar are major contributors,” an official told Indian Express. The BMC has deployed staff to monitor hotspots and enforce targeted interventions.

Emergency Measures

• The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has rolled out multiple steps to tackle pollution:
• Restricting dust-generating construction and demolition work
• Cracking down on open garbage and waste burning
• Intensifying vehicle emission checks and PUC enforcement
• Water-sprinkling and mechanised road cleaning to reduce dust

A citywide dust-control drive ran from November 28 to 30, focusing on high-traffic corridors and construction-heavy areas. Stop-work orders were issued to dozens of construction sites, while ward teams and “flying squads” monitor compliance.

Political Fallout

The crisis has also sparked political debate. The Mumbai Congress launched the ‘Mumbai Clean Air Action Plan,’ calling for clean air as a fundamental right, continuous monitoring, planting one million trees, and stricter norms for vehicles, construction, and industries.

Former Maharashtra minister Varsha Gaikwad criticized the state government, blaming lax oversight and pro-contractor policies for worsening pollution. She said Mumbai is “choking under smog and the BJP’s contractor raj,” emphasizing the right of residents to clean air.