Archive · 15 Nov 2025
Mumbai's AQI Hits 168 Amidst Enhanced Pollution Control Measures
Mumbai's air is getting a little dirty after the rainy season, with the air quality index reaching 168.
This is because of all the building and traffic in the city.
To help clean the air, the city government is sending special teams to check on construction sites every day.
These teams are extra special now because they include people who know about climate change!
They are making sure builders follow 28 rules to control dust and pollution.
These rules include putting up screens around buildings, watering down dusty areas, and even using special sensors to check the air.
If builders don't follow the rules, they might get a warning or even have to stop their work until they fix it.
Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) has deteriorated to 168 post-monsoon.
Special five-member squads, now including Climate Change officials, will conduct daily inspections at construction sites across all 24 wards.
The squads aim to enforce the BMC's 28-point pollution-control guidelines for construction and demolition activities.
Mandatory measures for construction sites include perimeter sheeting, covering materials, water spraying, and installing air quality monitors and CCTV cameras.
Non-compliant sites may face notices, sealing, or work suspension.
- Who
- Mumbai's civic authorities (BMC) including Climate Change Department officials, ward engineers, assistant engineers, and police officers
- What
- Reactivated special squads to conduct daily inspections of construction sites to enforce a 28-point air pollution-control guideline and combat deteriorating air quality.
- When
- Post-monsoon, with AQI reaching 168 on Friday evening.
- Where
- Mumbai, across all 24 administrative wards, specifically at construction and demolition sites.
- Why
- To address the worsening air quality caused by construction activities and heavy traffic.
- AQI Level
- 168
- Inspection Squads
- 24 administrative wards, 5 members each
- Pollution Norms
- 28-point guidelines
- New Squad Members
- Climate Change Department official per squad
- Mandatory Site Measures
- Metal sheets, green cloth/tarpaulin covering, water spraying, sensor-based monitors, CCTV cameras