MUMBAI: With a record 2,500 building approvals given by BMC last year totalling 15 crore sq ft of built-up area, citizens are increasingly complaining about dust and noise pollution in the city’s residential neighbourhoods. Early this week, police commissioner Sanjay Pandey said police stations must register such complaints from citizens.Mahim resident Penelope Tong, field work supervisor with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), has been unable to concentrate on her WFH chores of late. Even normal interaction with her family has become difficult due to the deafening noise, dust, and diesel generator smoke that emanate from a redevelopment site nearby. Her elderly parents have not been able to take their afternoon nap since work began a few months ago.Construction industry sources say that in Mumbai, every two out of 10 buildings are either under redevelopment or undergoing repairs. People complain of work continuing even in the late hours, said anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali. She said that ideally if the noise goes 10 decibels beyond the permitted 55 decibels in a residential area, it calls for police action. “in most construction sites, I have recorded noise levels of 90-100 decibels, which is deafening and absolutely criminal. Engineers supervising construction sites should ideally restrict the sound and dust by using proper barriers and curtains. However, that is not happening at all,” she said.Civic rules allow construction only between 7am and 10pm. Of nearly 75,000 housing societies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, about 20% are under redevelopment, said Ramesh Prabhu of the Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association, an apex body of cooperative housing societies in the state. “Many housing societies have resolved to not allow noise-related works between 2pm and 4pm for the ailing, elderly and children, who need an afternoon nap. At redevelopment sites, barriers, nets and silencer-mounted machinery are required to prevent dust and noise from spreading.”Boman Irani, president of CREDAI-MCHI, the apex body of developers, said, “As per the IOD conditions of BMC, developers are allowed to work from 7am to 10pm. We understand the challenges faced by residents when this condition is breached (very rarely). Developers always follow environment norms. All modern technology is employed for construction in Mumbai. But at this moment, the amount of infrastructure work — Metro, Coastal Road, bridges, pipeline upgrades — in Mumbai is causing additional dust pollution. Though, this will help Mumbai become a prized city.”Abdulali said that under existing laws, police have the powers to not just regulate work hours at construction sites but also seize equipment. “Any noise beyond 65 decibels and dust leading to air quality index above moderate levels (200) are actionable. Repeat offences are punishable.”
