Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 2: Mumbai’s worsening air quality battle escalated further after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) flying squads detected multiple violations at the high-profile bullet train construction site in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). The inspection was conducted under the stringent GRAP 4 norms, which remained in force across the city until December 1.

Under GRAP 4, all construction activities must adhere to a 28-point guideline aimed at curbing dust and emissions. These include mandatory use of water sprinklers, misting machines, mist guns, and installation of radar-based sensor systems for real-time pollution tracking. Construction agencies must also submit an Environmental Management Plan and ensure their sites are covered with green cloth, jute sheets, or metal barricades at least 25 feet high to contain dust.

However, during Friday’s inspection, BMC officials found major lapses at the BKC bullet train site. “We noticed the absence of misting machines and other dust-suppression systems that are mandatory under GRAP 4,” an official told Hindustan Times. Following the findings, a show-cause notice was issued to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL), directing the agency to explain the violations within seven days and rectify them immediately.

NHSRCL, however, asserted full compliance with environmental norms. Speaking to the publication, an official said the organisation had been proactive about dust mitigation. “We will ensure all dust-control equipment, including mist guns, remains fully operational. Over 85% of the excavation work is complete, and we are now focused on base slab casting. We will follow every instruction issued by local authorities,” the official stated.

The violation at one of the country’s flagship infrastructure projects has sparked concerns about wider enforcement challenges across Mumbai, especially as air quality repeatedly dips into poor and very poor categories. The civic body has intensified its monitoring of construction sites citywide, stressing strict adherence to GRAP norms to safeguard public health.