In a significant move, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated the installation of two outdoor dust mitigation units (ODMU) and one dust monitoring system (DMS) at each of the five different locations in Mumbai.
The first unit is expected to be operational within a month near the traffic chowkie on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR).
Mumbai has been grappling with poor air quality for the past two years. In response, BMC has decided to establish its own monitoring systems. This initiative is part of the broader Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP). The plan includes increasing Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring stations.
The project involves sourcing and installing five stations. They will be maintained by the contractor, who will also provide a three-year warranty. The units will feature display boards with AQI and 24-hour weather forecasts. They are designed to record and filter harmful gases such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur oxides, as well as PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulate matter.
Initially, the equipment was planned to be installed at Worli junction, Dahisar toll naka, Kala Nagar junction at Bandra, Mankhurd, and Mulund check naka. However, due to technical difficulties, Mankhurd and Worli junctions were replaced with Ghatkopar Chedha Nagar and JVLR.
According to records, the traffic jams at intersections are also leading to excessive emissions and increasing dust particles in the air due to the city's growing vehicular population. The aim is to plan mitigation techniques accordingly. BMC has already released guidelines for implementing air pollution prevention measures at under-construction sites.
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