Mumbai Congress Urges For Immediate Action Against Air Pollution From Construction Sites

Mumbai Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad has raised concerns about the city's severe air quality crisis. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) has crossed the danger threshold, leading to an increase in respiratory illnesses among its residents.

Gaikwad has urged the Maharashtra government to implement the Mumbai Climate Action Plan, which was drafted during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime. The plan outlines measures to mitigate air and noise pollution, manage waste responsibly, and establish eco-parks.

The deteriorating air quality in Mumbai is having a significant impact on public health. Gaikwad warned that respiratory illnesses are on the rise due to the city's poor air quality. 

According to research from NEERI and IITB, over 71% of Mumbai's air pollution comes from dust from roads and construction sites. The remaining pollution comes from industries, power plants, airports, and waste dumps.

Gaikwad has called for immediate action from the government and the corporation to address these issues. She stressed that the health of Mumbai residents should not be compromised for political gains.

Gaikwad has also called for an audit of all project costs within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). She questioned whether the frequent increases in project costs were for "mutual benefits" or not.

She also raised concerns regarding the infrastructure projects initiated by the MVA to alleviate traffic congestion. According to her, the projects have been stalled under the current administration. These include the coastline road, the Dahisar-Bhayandar elevated corridor, the Goregaon-Mulund link road, and the Vikhroli railway overpass.

The estimated costs of these projects have significantly increased. For instance, the cost of the Goregaon-Mulund link road has doubled, and the cost of the coastal road has increased by INR 1,000 crore. The raised Dahisar-Bhayander route now costs INR 3,304 crore instead of INR 1,981 crore.

Additionally, the cost of the coastal route has gone up by more than INR 1,000 crore. The Congress leader announced that INR 95 crore, as opposed to INR 37 crore, would henceforth be spent on the Vikhroli railway flyover.