Bombay High Court Pushes for Cleaner Mumbai Air, Says ‘Moderate’ Quality Not Acceptable

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court Tuesday sent a strong message on Mumbai’s worsening air quality, making it clear that the city cannot settle for merely “moderate” pollution levels. Hearing a suo motu case on air pollution, the court underlined that residents deserve significantly cleaner air and not just marginal improvements on paper.

A bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, along with Justice Shyam Suman, reviewed the current air quality situation and the steps taken by civic authorities. When informed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that Mumbai’s air quality currently falls in the “moderate” category, the bench expressed its dissatisfaction, remarking that such a standard does not meet the expectations of the court.

According to data from the BMC’s Sameer Air Quality Index application, Mumbai’s AQI has hovered between 101 and 116 over the past week. While this technically places the city in the moderate range, the judges indicated that this level still poses health concerns and falls short of acceptable environmental standards.

In response to the court’s scrutiny, the BMC submitted a detailed affidavit outlining measures being taken to curb pollution. The document, filed by the civic body’s environment and climate change department, stated that a time-bound action plan has been rolled out to deliver visible and measurable reductions in pollution levels over the coming weeks.

The civic administration said it has intensified inspections at construction sites, which are considered major contributors to dust and particulate pollution. Acting on recommendations from a court-appointed expert committee, the BMC has issued fresh operational guidelines for road and bridge construction projects, aimed at tightening compliance with dust-control norms.

The affidavit also highlighted long-term pollution trends, noting that Mumbai experiences higher pollution levels during winter due to weather conditions such as low temperatures, temperature inversion and reduced air movement. Emissions from traffic and ongoing construction further aggravate the situation during these months.

Officials pointed out that Mumbai’s coastal geography adds another layer of complexity to pollution management. Sea breezes, shifting wind patterns and regional emission sources influence the city’s air quality, making it necessary to adopt a broader, region-wide strategy rather than relying only on city-level measures.

To enforce compliance, the BMC has deployed dozens of ward-level inspection teams to monitor construction sites and pollution hotspots daily. Senior civic officials are also carrying out regular field inspections to ensure that violations are acted upon promptly.

Data submitted to the court revealed that hundreds of notices have been issued in recent weeks against developers and contractors who failed to follow pollution-control rules. Several construction sites were ordered to halt work for not installing mandatory air quality monitoring systems within the stipulated timeline.