The civic body recently issued a stop-work notice to a demolition site in Oshiwara, Andheri West, and imposed a penalty of ₹35,000 following complaints that dust was spreading across the neighbourhood. In a separate development, the BMC temporarily suspended a rule holding architects and licensed surveyors accountable alongside developers for air pollution at construction sites, according to media reports.
The stop-work notice cited multiple violations, including inadequate covering of construction materials and debris, loose soil and debris dumped on roads and footpaths, uncovered cutting and drilling activities, and the absence of an effective dust-extraction system and a vehicle tyre-washing facility.
The BMC issued the notice under Section 354A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. It also directed the local police to monitor compliance, according to a media report.
The enforcement action comes amid concerns over the implications of construction-related pollution for project timelines. Legal experts said developers may be eligible for an extension under Section 6 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, which allows the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) to extend a project's registration on grounds of force majeure, generally for up to one year. Any further extension would depend on the circumstances and applicable guidelines issued by the Central or state government.
“When a developer violates air quality norms, they are not eligible for a construction timeline extension, as the delay results from their own violation. However, when the authorities announce a general suspension of construction activities, the case may be eligible for an extension of the construction timeline,” said Nilesh Gala, advocate, Bombay High Court.
In November 2025, the BMC prescribed a 28-point framework for dust and pollution control at construction sites. The framework includes real-time air quality monitoring and measures to control dust generated during excavation, demolition, material handling and debris transportation.
The civic body's standard operating procedure for implementing the Graded Response Action Plan provides for Stage IV measures if Mumbai's city-level or local-area Air Quality Index remains above 200 for three consecutive days. Depending on pollution levels and compliance, construction activities may be restricted or suspended.
Alongside action against developers violating pollution-control norms, the BMC has temporarily suspended its rule making architects and licensed surveyors accountable alongside developers for air pollution at construction sites.
The decision followed a meeting between architects' representatives and the civic administration on October 8. The Council of Architecture had opposed the September 2 circular, which provided for the suspension of licences for failure to implement pollution-control measures.
“Architects engaged on a building project were directed last month to submit an undertaking; however, by a new circular, the said directions now cease to apply. As regards the issue of pollution caused by building construction activity, the major contributing phases are the demolition of old buildings and the excavation of soil. Architects engaged in preparing new building plans and obtaining approval have almost no role in this phase,” said Vilas Nagalkar, an architect and a member of the Practising Engineers Architects and Town Planners Association (PEATA).
The BMC's enforcement measures and its decision to temporarily suspend the accountability rule highlight the regulatory challenges surrounding construction-related dust pollution in Mumbai. While developers face action for violations at construction sites, the civic administration's pollution-control framework also allows for restrictions or suspensions of construction activities when prescribed air quality thresholds are breached.
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