Mumbai Civic Body Deploys Flying Squads To Improve Air Pollution Control

Amid pollution concerns, Mumbai's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has deployed flying squads across all administrative wards to tighten enforcement of its 28-point air pollution control guidelines. Officials have been instructed to take strict action against violators.

Each newly formed flying squad will include two ward-level engineers and one police personnel, supported by a Vehicle Tracking and Monitoring System (VTMS)-equipped vehicle. 

A civic body official said, "The squads will ensure strict implementation of all BMC directives, oversee sensor-based air-quality monitoring units and LED displays, and take action against activities such as garbage burning and the use of wood as fuel."

According to the BMC, if the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) remains consistently above 200 despite ongoing mitigation efforts, industries and construction activities responsible for the pollution will be shut down under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4). All Deputy Municipal Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners have been directed to monitor compliance closely and undertake prompt action wherever necessary.

"The civic body is currently focusing on measures such as ensuring cleaner fuel use at bakeries and crematoriums, expanding electric bus operations, scientific processing of construction debris, and dust suppression through misting and water spraying on roads," said a civic body official. 

The comprehensive air pollution guidelines issued on 15 October 2024 require construction sites to install sheet barricading, green cloth covers, conduct regular water sprinkling, store debris scientifically, and install air-quality monitoring and dust-extraction systems. These guidelines are available on the BMC's official website.

The BMC has appealed to citizens to avoid activities that contribute to air pollution and to cooperate with the civic administration's ongoing mitigation efforts.

In recent months, Mumbai has faced a troubling spike in air pollution. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), October 2025 was the most polluted month of the year so far, with many monitoring stations recording record highs in PM2.5 and PM10 due to a mix of festival firecrackers, construction dust, and traffic emissions. The city experienced dense morning smog across many neighbourhoods this month, with the AQI frequently rising into the "unhealthy" range.