Mumbai: BMC to Buy 5 Portable Devices to Track Air Pollution at Construction Sites

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will soon buy five portable air quality monitoring devices as part of a trial project to check air quality around construction sites in mumbai. Each unit will cost INR 5 lakh. 

The civic body’s environment and climate change department recently invited bids for the devices. These monitors will be used only by BMC engineers to collect real-time data on pollution and AQI levels at building sites.

The mobile monitors will help track PM 2.5, PM 10, and other harmful gases. These include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide, methane, and total volatile organic compounds. They will also record temperature, humidity, and moisture levels.

Portable monitors can be used anywhere when needed. The larger Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) require more space and are not easily movable. The BMC said it is starting with just five devices due to the high cost. These will be tested for accuracy and usefulness. If the results are good, the civic body may buy more units later.

The handheld devices will help BMC engineers confirm the pollution levels shown by the site monitors. 

The Bombay High Court had made it mandatory for all construction sites in Mumbai to install low-cost air quality sensors. However, only about 10% of sites have installed them so far. Most of those installed are said to be unreliable.

In February, the BMC had called for air quality monitor models to be submitted for review. Out of 22 entries, 15 models were approved. These approved monitors must now be placed at all construction sites. The AQI data must be visible both online and on-site.

Currently, Mumbai has about 25 air quality monitoring stations. Of these, 11 are run by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), 9 by SAFAR, and 5 by BMC. The civic body also plans to set up five more fixed air quality monitoring stations.

Earlier this month, the BMC had given a 30-day deadline to developers. They were asked to install approved sensor-based air monitors at their construction sites. The civic body had earlier issued an expression of interest in February to select suitable sensor models. Fifteen firms were finally chosen based on their technology.