28 October,2026 06:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
As part of the drive, the BMC will undertake intensive road sweeping and scraping, including cleaning road dividers, medians, traffic islands, footpaths and kerbs. FILE PIC
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allocated Rs 15 lakh to each ward for a special pre-Diwali cleanliness drive aimed at reducing road dust and mitigating air pollution across Mumbai. The drive, scheduled from October 28 to November 7, will focus on major arterial roads and identified dust-prone stretches, with intensive cleaning, mechanised sweeping, dust removal and water sprinkling planned ahead of the festival.
The civic body has issued instructions to all wards to undertake the drive as a precautionary measure to control road dust and support the maintenance of Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) during the winter season.
The identified roads include the BKC Connector, Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR), Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Road, SV Road, Link Road, Carter Road and Sion-Mankhurd Road.
As part of the drive, the BMC will undertake intensive road sweeping and scraping, including cleaning road dividers, medians, traffic islands, footpaths and kerbs. Accumulated roadside dust and silt will be removed, with the civic body directing officials to ensure prompt collection and safe disposal of the waste.
Mechanical power sweepers, litter pickers, JCBs, dumpers, misting machines and water sprinklers will be deployed according to requirements. Water sprinkling and misting will be carried out at identified dust-prone locations, while the work will be undertaken using departmental and contractual manpower.
The BMC has directed Assistant Engineers of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) department to finalise locations and prepare day-wise action plans in coordination with their respective Assistant Commissioners. Staff deployed for the work must be provided with uniforms, protective gear, cleaning tools and the necessary safety equipment.
Assistant Engineers, Assistant Health Officers and other supervisory staff will monitor the drive and maintain daily records of locations covered, activities undertaken, manpower engaged, machinery deployed and quantities of dust and waste collected and disposed of.
Each ward will have to submit day-wise reports supported by geo-tagged before-and-after photographs and video clips.
The reports will also include details of machinery availability, deployment schedules and requirements for additional equipment and manpower.
Zonal Executive Engineers of the SWM department and the concerned ward-level engineers will assess requirements beyond existing contractual provisions, coordinate the deployment of additional resources and submit proposals for approval wherever necessary.
The Chief Engineer of the SWM department, through the operations team, will centrally compile the progress of the drive, including locations covered, machinery deployed, quantities collected and photographic and video documentation.
The BMC's Public Relations Officer has also been instructed to share verified updates with the media periodically to keep citizens informed about the drive's progress and outcomes. Assistant Commissioners and Zonal Deputy Municipal Commissioners have been asked to provide active guidance and oversee implementation to ensure visible results on the ground.
