Bombay Excessive Court docket orders audit of development websites to fight Mumbai’s air air pollution

The Bombay Excessive Court docket on Friday (November 28, 2025) emphasised that whereas bettering Mumbai’s general air high quality would require a long-term technique, speedy steps could be taken to curb mud air pollution from development websites via strict enforcement of present norms.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad, listening to a batch of petitions on deteriorating AQI ranges within the metropolis, constituted an impartial five-member committee to examine development websites and confirm compliance with mitigation tips. The panel will embrace one official every from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) and Maharashtra Air pollution Management Board (MPCB), two civil society representatives, and a public well being official. The workforce will likely be supplied with logistical help, transport, and safety to make sure entry to websites.

The committee is anticipated to submit its findings inside every week, after which the matter will likely be heard once more on December 15. The court docket additionally directed the BMC and MPCB to file an action-taken report on measures applied final yr to sort out air air pollution.

“Be sure that the development websites and mud air pollution are tackled, and it needs to be performed instantly in a single to 2 weeks’ time,” the Court docket mentioned.

Amicus curiae senior advocate Darius Khambata advised the court docket that mud from development actions stays one of many greatest contributors to Mumbai’s worsening AQI. He famous that the court docket had issued 27 detailed tips in 2023–24, together with necessary set up of air high quality sensors, water sprinkling, and overlaying automobiles transporting development materials. Nonetheless, compliance has been poor. Of practically 1,000 development websites within the metropolis, solely 400 have sensors, and 117 of these are non-functional. Furthermore, these sensors are but to be linked to a central monitoring system.

Mr. Khambatta warned in opposition to “knee-jerk reactions” at any time when AQI spikes, calling for a concerted, long-term plan. “If even putting in displays mandated by the court docket in 2023 is taking this lengthy, it’s regarding,” he mentioned.

The Court docket expressed dissatisfaction with present monitoring mechanisms, noting that committees appointed earlier had did not submit weekly compliance stories since March.

Senior Counsel Milind Sathe, representing the BMC, mentioned particular squads conduct random checks and challenge stop-work notices for violations. Nonetheless, Senior Counsel Janak Dwarkadas, showing for NGO Vanashakti, argued that many measures stay “solely on paper” and sought stricter enforcement.

The Court docket directed the BMC and the state’s public well being division to challenge an advisory on defending residents from air air pollution and advised distributing masks at crowded public spots comparable to railway stations and bus stops.

The Bench reiterated that whereas vehicular emissions additionally contribute to air pollution, it will tackle that later to keep away from orders that would result in harassment of residents. “Authorities will begin impounding and issuing challans. The orders shouldn’t result in harassment,” the Bench noticed.