Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday said the Vikas Kharge-led committee probing the alleged Pune land scam has not yet submitted its report, ruling out a clean chit to anyone at this stage. According to the PTI, Bawankule was responding to questions over media reports claiming relief to Parth Pawar, son of late deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in the matter. Parth Pawar’s mother, Sunetra Pawar was sworn-in as the deputy chief minister of state following Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash near Baramati. Mundhwa land deal under scrutiny The sale of 40 acres of land in Pune’s upscale Mundhwa area for Rs 300 crore to Amadea Enterprises LLP, where Parth Pawar is a majority partner, came under scrutiny after it emerged that the land belongs to the government and could not be sold. The firm was also allegedly exempted from paying Rs 21 crore in stamp duty, reported PTI. The committee has sought an eight-day extension to submit its findings, which the government will grant, Bawankule told reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. “The report has not been officially submitted to the state government. Therefore, there is no scope for giving a clean chit to Parth Pawar or anyone else. I urge people not to speculate on such a serious issue and confuse the public,” he said, reported PTI. Five-member committee probing the matter The five-member committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge, is examining alleged procedural lapses in the registration of the purchase deed related to the Mundhwa land. The probe focuses on aspects such as valuation, documentation and the role of officials involved in the registration process. The panel was constituted in early November amid political controversy and was initially asked to submit its report by December 6 last year. The deadline was later extended twice after the committee sought more time to examine records and responses from multiple departments. While earlier indications suggested the panel could submit its report by February 6, Bawankule said on Thursday that an additional extension would now be granted. The committee also includes the Pune divisional commissioner, the commissioner of land registration and director of land records, the inspector general of registration and controller of stamps, and the Pune district collector. Activists question delays Meanwhile, Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar criticised the repeated extensions, alleging that the probe was being delayed and could eventually turn into a formality. In a post on X, Kumbhar claimed that officials responsible for preventing alleged irregularities were themselves part of the committee, making a fair outcome unlikely. He also raised questions over alleged unpaid stamp duty, arguing that public revenue could not be protected through “clean chits” or shell entities. Social activist Anjali Damania also questioned the delay in the inquiry. In a post on X earlier this month, she said that if government functioning continued as “business as usual” following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash, the investigation into the Mundhwa land deal should not be stalled. She demanded that the committee’s report be made public without delay. Government stance The state government, however, maintained that appropriate action would be taken after the report is formally submitted. Asked about the mayoral post in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bawankule said two to three shortlisted names had been sent to state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan. “The decision will be taken in a core committee meeting today,” he said, reported PTI. A decision on whether to give the deputy mayor’s post to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will also be taken, the senior BJP leader added. Responding to a question about the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) entering the mayoral contest in Mumbai, Bawankule said the move would ensure there is no confusion among its corporators about whom to vote for. (With PTI inputs)
05 February,2026 06:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday hailed a recent major automobile deal with Indonesia and noted that the vehicles will be manufactured at the company’s Nashik plant, adding to the growth and employment opportunities in the district. The deal was finalised between Indonesia and Mahindra & Mahindra. "CM Fadnavis congratulated Mahindra & Mahindra for securing its largest-ever export order to supply 35,000 Scorpio Pik-Up vehicles to Indonesia," officials said, according to the ANI. CM Fadnavis said he was proud that the milestone export deal is “Made in Nashik”, adding that it reinforces Maharashtra’s position as India’s leading manufacturing hub and aligns with the Centre’s Make in India initiative. Biggest export order The Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) announced that it has received its biggest export order to date, involving the supply of 35,000 light commercial vehicles to Indonesia in 2026. The order exceeds the company’s total export volumes recorded in the financial year 2024–25 and marks a major achievement for its global operations, the ANI reported. In a statement, the company said it will deliver the vehicles to Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, an Indonesian entity, as part of the country’s Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih (KDKMP) Project. The large-scale government-backed initiative aims to strengthen cooperatives and support Indonesia’s national food security transformation, the news agency reported. Manufacturing in Nashik All vehicles under this export order will be manufactured at Mahindra’s Nashik facility. The Scorpio Pik-Up vehicles will be deployed for a state-owned programme focused on cooperatives across Indonesia. Mahindra said the vehicles will help improve rural logistics by enabling efficient transportation of agricultural produce from farms to markets. Under the partnership, Mahindra will work closely with Agrinas Pangan Nusantara to equip local cooperatives, known as Koperasi, with durable and reliable vehicles. The collaboration aims to ensure a smooth and efficient supply chain, helping fresh produce move directly from farmers to consumers. The initiative is expected to strengthen village-level commerce, improve first-mile aggregation of farm produce, and support intra-village logistics. Mahindra added that the customised Scorpio Pik-Up vehicles are designed to handle rough rural terrain and narrow farm tracks, making them suitable for cooperative operations, as per the ANI. (With ANI inputs)
05 February,2026 05:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday criticised the state government over the 36-hour traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, questioning whether inquiries into such incidents ever lead to meaningful action, news agency PTI reported. Thackeray expressed displeasure over the lack of disaster preparedness and road maintenance on the expressway, saying the only thing managed “promptly and efficiently” was toll collection. He demanded that tolls collected during the traffic jam be refunded to motorists and urged the government to prepare a concrete action plan to prevent similar situations in the future. Traffic on the expressway came to a standstill after a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned near the Adoshi tunnel in the ghat section on Tuesday around 5 pm. Commuters faced severe disruption, with the Mumbai-bound carriageway reopening only early on Thursday, 33 hours later. In a post on X, Thackeray said, “The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was completely shut for nearly 32 hours. Passengers suffered terribly. And as usual, the government only ordered an inquiry into the matter. Many such incidents have been followed by many inquiries. The real question is: Does the government or the administration ever learn anything from them?” मुंबई-पुणे द्रुतगती मार्ग जवळपास ३२ तास ठप्प होता. प्रवाशांचे कमालीचे हाल झाले. आणि यानंतर नेहमीप्रमाणे सरकारकडून या प्रकरणाच्या फक्त चौकशीचे आदेश दिले गेले. या आणि अशा अनेक घटनांच्या अनेक चौकश्या होतात. पुढे त्यातून काही बोध सरकार, प्रशासन घेतं का? हा प्रश्न आहे. मंगळवार ३… pic.twitter.com/2RA5yxOG0Z — Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) February 5, 2026 He asked whether the administration has any ready action plan to clear roads quickly during emergencies. “It has been 24 years since the expressway was completed. But during this period, the government neither considered exigencies that could arise nor ensured that the road remains of top quality. The only thing done promptly and efficiently was toll collection,” he said. MNS chief questions govt’s preparedness, demands quick remedies Thackeray questioned if the government’s responsibility is limited to building roads and collecting tolls. He noted that while a Mumbai-Pune high-speed railway project was announced in the Union Budget, ensuring a smooth and reliable road journey remains a priority. “These days, no one can predict how long the journey between Mumbai and Pune, the growth engines of the state, will take,” the MNS chief said. He urged the government to refund tolls collected during the jam and prepare a public action plan for immediate remedies in similar incidents, without creating unnecessary hurdles at checkpoints. Thackeray also questioned the role of guardian ministers, asking why citizens feel helpless despite administrative oversight. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India’s first 6-lane concrete, access-controlled tolled expressway, spans 94.5 km and connects Mumbai, Raigad, Navi Mumbai, and Pune. (With PTI inputs)
05 February,2026 03:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 20-year-old man was killed on the spot on Thursday morning after his motorcycle met with an accident involving a container truck near the Kharegaon bridge on the Mumbai–Nashik Road in Thane. According to information received by the disaster management control room at 5.48 am, the accident occurred near the Kharegaon toll naka when the victim, riding a motorcycle from Thane towards Nashik, lost control of his vehicle and fell under the rear tyres of a container that was passing close by. Akash Chandra Pujari was a resident of Dahisar in Mumbai. He suffered severe injuries after coming under the container’s tyres and was declared dead at the spot. Traffic police personnel, disaster management staff with a pickup vehicle, fire brigade officials with a high-rise fire tender and two rescue vehicles, and an ambulance rushed to the scene. The container driver fled the spot following the accident and is currently unidentified, police said. Dahisar youth was on his way to Trimbakeshwar in Nashik The body was later shifted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, Thane, for further legal formalities in the presence of traffic police officers. Police said Pujari had left home around 4 am on his motorcycle to travel to Trimbakeshwar in Nashik with friends for temple darshan. At the time of the accident, he was travelling alone. The damaged container and motorcycle were removed from the road with the help of traffic police, following which traffic on the Mumbai–Nashik Road was restored. The accident had led to traffic congestion on the stretch for about an hour.
05 February,2026 02:00 PM IST | MumbaiThe Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Thursday came down heavily on the Centre over the India–US trade agreement, describing it not just as a deal but a “declaration of war” against Indian farmers and labourers. In a scathing editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT) said the agreement endangers the livelihood of the country’s food producers and questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is safeguarding India’s interests or acting as a “sales agent” for the United States (US). The editorial called upon farmers and workers across the nation to unite and seek accountability from the Central government. It said the agreement was signed at a time when the domestic economy is under strain, noting that the Indian rupee had slipped to a record low of 92 against the US dollar in late January. Despite this, the government appeared “intoxicated” by the deal, the editorial said, accusing it of projecting US President Donald Trump as a “new deity” while “mortgaging the nation’s sovereignty”. The editorial asserted that Prime Minister Modi “should not remain in office for even a moment after sacrificing the interests of Indian farmers and national sovereignty”. Quoting Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Saamana claimed that the Prime Minister signed the agreement out of “fear” and under “immense pressure” from Trump. According to Gandhi, the deal had been stalled for nearly four months and was suddenly signed for “mysterious reasons”. ‘Fine print’ of India-US trade deal spells trouble for economy, farmers: Saamana While the BJP has hailed the agreement as a “magnificent announcement” that would benefit 1.4 billion Indians, the editorial said the fine print paints a bleak picture for the domestic economy. It claimed that India would reportedly stop buying oil from Russia and instead switch entirely to US oil imports worth 500 billion dollars. It further alleged that India would scrap tariffs on US agricultural products, coal and technology. The editorial pointed out that although US tariffs on Indian goods are expected to come down from 50 per cent to 18 per cent, India’s effective tariff burden would jump sharply from 3.31 per cent earlier to 18 per cent. Warning of serious repercussions for the agriculture sector, the Thackeray camp said a proposed “zero tariff” regime would result in subsidised and cheaper American produce flooding Indian markets. Commodities such as cotton, milk and dairy products, pulses, soybean, maize, almonds, walnuts, fruits and vegetables would be sold duty-free, making them cheaper than domestic produce and pushing Indian farmers and agricultural labourers out of competition. In a country where farmers continue to die by suicide due to mounting debt, the editorial said, the government is “rolling out the red carpet for foreign products”, reiterating that the Modi government has compromised the interests of Indian farmers and national sovereignty in favour of the United States. (With IANS inputs)
05 February,2026 12:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a ruling hailed by legal experts as a landmark, the Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (MahaREAT) has dismissed an appeal filed by a homebuyer against Kanakia Spaces Realty Pvt Ltd, holding that an unsigned and unnotarized appeal uploaded online cannot be treated as a valid filing for the purpose of statutory limitation. The bench relied on forensic analysis of server records and defence evidence to pass the order. The ruling, delivered on January 29, 2026, in Miscellaneous Application No 751 of 2025 (Anubhav Virmani v. Kanakia Spaces Realty Pvt Ltd), is being viewed as a significant precedent on the use and misuse of digital filing systems in real estate disputes. Background of the dispute The case arose from a complaint filed by flat purchaser Anubhav Virmani before the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA), which was dismissed as premature on January 30, 2025. Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, the statutory deadline to challenge the order before MahaREAT expired on March 30, 2025. Virmani claimed that he filed his appeal online on April 8, 2025, attributing the eight-day delay to frequent professional travel between Mumbai, Gurugram, Jaipur, and Indore. He accordingly sought condonation of this limited delay. Serious filing irregularities During the proceedings, MahaREAT found that the appeal uploaded on April 8, 2025, was unsigned, unverified, and unnotarized. Tribunal records revealed that the appeal was actually notarised and formally executed only on August 4, 2025, resulting in a delay of 125 days, not eight as claimed by the appellant. Significantly, during oral arguments, the appellant’s counsel admitted on record that an incomplete and unsigned appeal had been uploaded earlier. This admission proved decisive. Developer’s defence Kanakia Spaces Realty Pvt Ltd, represented by Advocate Vinod Talreja, filed a detailed reply contending that the April upload was a “shell document” intended solely to generate a misleading filing date. The developer challenged the credibility of the travel-based explanation, pointing to long and unexplained periods of inactivity, including: January 30 to February 7, 2025 (nine days), and February 26 to March 30, 2025 (33 days). It was further argued that digital tools such as e-signatures, email, and video conferencing were readily available. The defence also noted that the appellant’s office in BKC and his lawyer’s chamber in Andheri fell along his regular commute, rendering the travel excuse implausible. The defence relied on multiple Supreme Court judgments, including State of Madhya Pradesh v. Ramkumar Choudhary (2024), Union of India v. Jahangir Jeejeebhoy (2024), and Basawaraj v. Special Land Acquisition Officer (2013), to establish that negligence, lack of bona fides, or deliberate concealment cannot be condoned. Tribunal’s findings Despite MahaREAT’s reputation for being purchaser-friendly, the bench conducted a forensic examination of server logs, notarization dates, payment receipts, and uploaded documents. It concluded that a legally valid filing occurred only on August 4, 2025, Advocate Talreja pointed out. Advocate Vinod Talreja. Pic/By Special Arrangement In unusually strong language, the Tribunal held that the appellant “did not come before this Tribunal with clean hands,” attempted to mislead the court, and that condoning such conduct would create a “dangerous precedent.” Rejecting reliance on a blanket liberal approach to condonation of delay, the bench clarified that judicial discretion cannot override statutory limitation where bad faith and procedural abuse are evident. It warned that permitting unsigned appeals to be regularised months later would encourage litigants to upload incomplete documents merely to secure earlier filing dates. Final order The Tribunal dismissed the application for condonation of delay and rejected the appeal as time-barred, holding that the actual delay was 125 days. Broader implications Legal experts say the ruling will have wide-ranging consequences for real estate litigation and digital court processes: >> Integrity of e-filing systems: Unsigned or unnotarized documents cannot be used to backdate filings.>> Limitation law reaffirmed: Statutory deadlines remain binding, even in consumer disputes.>> Balanced adjudication: The order underscores judicial neutrality in builder–buyer cases.>> Professional accountability: The ruling highlights the consequences of procedural misconduct.>> Public confidence: The judgment reassures litigants that digital filings will face strict scrutiny. The MahaREAT ruling in Virmani v. Kanakia Spaces Realty is expected to serve as a national reference point on limitation, digital filing discipline, and ethical litigation. Legal commentators describe it as a defining judgment in the era of electronic court processes, signalling that attempts to manipulate digital filings will not be tolerated. Advocate Vinod Talreja said the decision reinforces the principle that consumer protection must operate alongside procedural and ethical rigour, ensuring that digital tools strengthen rather than undermine the justice delivery system.
05 February,2026 11:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonA 21-year-old undergraduate student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay was found dead on the Powai campus in the early hours of Wednesday, February 4. Police have launched an inquiry to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident. According to officials, the student was found in an injured condition near a hostel building around 1.30 am and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Preliminary investigations suggest that the student may have fallen from the terrace of a hostel building. The exact sequence of events, however, is yet to be determined. The deceased hailed from Pilani, Rajasthan. The Powai police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are recording statements from hostel residents, security personnel, and the student’s friends. No suicide note has been recovered so far, police said. Further clarity is expected after the post-mortem examination and analysis of other evidence. “The autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday, February 5, as the family is expected to arrive. Forensic surgeons at the Rajawadi postmortem centre have been requested to defer the procedure until then,” a hospital source said. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the campus, with students expressing shock over the sudden loss. “It is deeply disturbing and heartbreaking to lose one of our peers. We are trying to support each other during this difficult time,” said a postgraduate student. The institute has not issued an official statement yet. Past tragedy In another incident, on August 2, a Delhi-based master’s student had allegedly died by suicide on the institute’s premises. Help available Samaritans Mumbai (Mon-Fri, 10 am-4 pm)8422984527 Connecting NGO (10 am-8 pm)9922004305 9922001122 Snehi (10 am-10 pm)9376804102 Ankahee (4 pm-10 pm)8655486966 iCALL (Mon-Sat, 10 am-8 pm)9152987821 Hitguj (24x7)022 24131212 1 Life7893078930 Aasra9820466726 With inputs by Aditi Alurkar
05 February,2026 11:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerEnvironmentalist Stalin D from NGO Vanashakti has issued a legal notice to the Mangrove Cell and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over permissions granted for mangrove cutting for the Versova-Bhayandar Coastal Road project. The project work, he claims, was allowed despite the absence of mandatory clearances. Stalin D issued a legal notice on February 3, claiming the sanction violates Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Bombay High Court order dated December 12, 2025. Stalin D has sent the email to the Principal Secretary Forest, Mangrove Cell, Principal Secretary of the Environment Department, municipal commissioner, and Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, requesting work be stopped and issues with the mitigation measures be rectified. The activist alleged work is being done without necessary permissions “All of you are parties to the permissions and work undertaken for the coastal road project. There are news reports that state permission for tree felling has been given. We wish to inform you about the irregularities/illegalities,” read Stalin D’s notice. He alleged that work within mangrove areas has progressed substantially on the ground. “I visited the site at Malad Creek in Malwani and was shocked to see a kilometre-long road already made. This work cannot and could not have been done after the order of the Bombay High Court passed in December. It is very evident that the court orders were taken for granted and work undertaken without permissions,” said Stalin D. Further, he alleged that Phase 2 permissions for the project have not been obtained to date. “Even if one were to consider the fact that an exception has been made for a linear project, work of construction cannot commence without the final clearance. Why was the high court not informed that the project lacked necessary clearances and also fulfilment of the conditions under the Forest Conservation Act while seeking permission from the court? Further, the conditions for linear projects also mention that land admeasuring three times the size of the land being diverted for the project must be afforested and transferred in the name of the forest department and given ‘reserve forests’ status,” Stalin D said. The dug-up area near Malad Creek at Malvani According to Stalin D, the land being shown as compensation happens to be in Survey No. 342 in Vihirgaon near Tadoba in Chandrapur district. In his email to authorities, he also attached the 7x12 extract of the site and alleged that the said land is already in the forest department’s name, earmarked for firewood and grazing. “How will the saplings survive, and how will the trees on the land be protected? Isn’t this an abuse of the process of law?” he questioned. The other site in Bhayandar, where one lakh saplings are to be planted, also bears Survey No. 342. “The site at Bhayandar has been afforested by the Mangrove cell in 2022. Satellite imagery confirms this. There is hardly any space left for plantation. Further, land records show the site is jointly owned by the salt department, state forest department, and the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC). Areas under MBMC seem to be marshes/inter-tidal mudflats next to the creek. This area is available for plantation, but the land is also sought by MBMC to develop a of a waterfront. How will mangroves be protected? The mitigation steps are an eyewash,” Stalin D said. Points raised by Stalin D Stalin D, environmentalist >> Mangroves are coastal forests; how does their ecosystem get compensated for by planting trees in Chandrapur in mountainous regions?>> Is there no land available along the Mumbai or Mumbai Metropolitan Region coast that can compensate for the loss of the coastal forests?>> Why is there such a lack of application of mind and scientific approach in the process of undertaking these projects?>> Please share details of the land parcels surveyed along the Mumbai shoreline before a decision was taken to move to Palghar and Chandrapur ‘Making false claims’ “The forest department claims work at Malwani is only for a sewage treatment plant, but the photographs from the site clearly suggest otherwise. In any case, the forest department could not have given any approval for cutting mangroves without Stage-II clearance. The BMC alone is responsible for the loss of nearly 1.6 lakh mangroves, and the pace at which mangroves are being destroyed, Mumbai should be worried that little will be left of its coastal forests,” said Stalin D.
05 February,2026 11:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe ongoing high-profile Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) has been hit by a controversial curveball. Festival organisers have cancelled an event/discussion titled ‘Incarcerated: Tales from Behind Bars.’ This discussion was scheduled for today (Thursday) evening and featured journalist and writer Neeta Kolhatkar, author of the book The Feared: Conversations with Eleven Political Prisoners, and activist Anand Teltumde. The event has been reportedly cancelled on orders of the Mumbai Police. Teltumde was implicated in the Bhima Koregaon case in 2018 and spent over 2.5 years in prison. He has a recently published book called The Cell and the Soul: Prison Memoir (2025). Teltumde and Kolhatkar were supposed to be speaking to editor and writer Naresh Fernandes, who was the event moderator. Kolhatkar said, “The commonality between both speakers was the prison experience, incarceration. I cannot fathom how we can cancel events like this and be called a democracy. All social media posts related to the event are also ordered to be taken down. There have been so many accounts published on incarceration. Right-wing trolls on social media have been branding me an 'Urban Naxal'. You may differ from my views, but how dare you call me names? How dare you label me?” A festival spokesperson said, “The safety of Kala Ghoda is of utmost importance. I would not like to comment on this.” Fernandes reacted, “I am surprised at this decision by the police. Especially since Teltumde has spoken out on different platforms about his book. He writes three columns a month in different papers. He is a public intellectual with an equal emphasis on both words and certainly not a Naxalite or Maoist. He has spoken often that he has never been for violence.” The festival, which began on January 31, will run till February 8.
05 February,2026 11:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharThere’s good news for birdwatchers visiting Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary, an important Ramsar wetland in Nashik, with visitors spotting a smooth-coated otter in the area. Such sightings are rare, making it a special and encouraging moment for wildlife enthusiasts. The smooth-coated otter is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, which gives it the highest level of legal protection, similar to that of the tiger. The 800.96 ha sanctuary is of ecological importance, a Ramsar site located near Niphad in the Nashik district. Known for hosting a wide variety of migratory birds during winter. A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Range Forest Officer (RFO) Hiralal Chaudhari from the sanctuary told mid-day that finding a smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) at the site is a fantastic sign of a healthy wetland ecosystem. “These elusive mammals, locally known as Pan-manjar, are the secret stars of the Godavari-Kadwa confluence. In late December 2025, tourists and forest officials reported multiple sightings of otters active in the sanctuary during the winter chill, and later I was also lucky to spot the otter a few weeks back,” said RFO Chaudhari.
05 February,2026 11:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavFor three days in a row, Mumbai has reported Air Quality Index (AQI) figures that are worse than those recorded during December and January. The AQI on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday was 141, 140, and 134, respectively, which fall in the ‘moderate’ (yellow) category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). PM10, from construction dust and vehicular emissions, has been the worst pollutant. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, thinks ‘wind speed’ is to blame for the alarming AQI. The wind speed during these days was in the range of 10 kmph to 13 kmph. This week marks a sharp increase from Sunday, when AQI was at 105, in the ‘moderate’ category. On January 4, Mumbai's AQI was 140 in the ‘moderate’ category, but on November 27 it was 167. A mist cannon is used to prevent dust pollution at the Elphinstone bridge construction site in Parel on Wednesday. Wednesday. The new connector is being built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. PIC/ASHISH RAJE As citizens have urged the civic body to up the measures taken to curb pollution from its own road concreting works, BMC has attributed the AQI levels to various factors, including very low wind speed. The civic body has also said that the enforceable guidelines that apply to private construction sites in the city, including misting, washing of the wheels of vehicles linked to construction sites, and covering such vehicles that carry construction materials, also apply to contractors responsible for carrying out BMC’s road work. City or construction site? At present, according to a senior official from the BMC’s roads department, 918 roads are being concreted across the city, as part of the BMC R17,000-crore road concreting project, being implemented over at least three years and involving over 2200 streets across the city. Between October 2025 and January 2026, 160 concreting activities were completed across the city. Right after the monsoon season ended, the BMC resumed work on over 570 incomplete road works that had been stopped in May 2025. Since then, some road work has been completed, while new stretches have been added to the list and dug up. Community-based activists and residents have alleged that the civic body does not walk the talk when it comes to precautions to be taken for curbing construction dust pollution. Footpath work undertaken by the civic body outside the Goregaon Metro station. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Residents have alleged that the BMC's road work projects are not covered with protective material while digging is going on throughout the day. They also claimed that while BMC-appointed contractors carry out misting and spray water around roads, this only happens in the morning hours and winds up by noon, resulting in dust plumes in the vicinity throughout the day. On the other hand, the BMC has maintained that the increase in dust pollution is due to various factors such as wind speed, and climatic conditions, including humidity and temperature factors, and vehicular combustion, and it is incorrect to attribute it to civic construction work alone. Activists speak Rishi Aggarwal, a city-based environmentalist, said, “Even now, I see trucks from construction sites leaving behind trails of muck for 500 metres in Lokhandwala, Andheri. For me, the simplest metric is the lived experiences of people in the vicinity. I don’t have the resources to hire scientists or buy equipment to counter the BMC’s data. But look at photographs of dust in the air. Dust is a contributor to AQI, so, logically, we must address the low-hanging fruit and curb construction dust to prevent air quality from worsening.” Activists have pointed out the direct correlation between BMC work and dust pollution, with examples such as the footpath work undertaken by BMC outside the Goregaon Metro station, where heaps of dust are visible. Aggarwal alleged, “It’s very evident that BMC sites across the city are the worst offenders.” Sumaira Abdulali from the Awaaz Foundation said, “Nothing is directly correlated unless you are actually near a construction site. The AQI measures that BMC gives us cover a large radius. It doesn’t give micro-level street readings. In that case, definitely every construction work in the city contributes to the bad air quality we have. The comparison between last year and this year’s AQI data can have a lot to do with wind patterns, and those are variable factors we cannot control. But we can and must control the measures we take as precautions.” Nikhil Desai, a resident of Matunga, said, “It is not just the civic body's callousness with its construction work, it's also a complete disregard for numbers. We are repeatedly told that the pollution levels are low, but we can clearly see plumes of dust in the air and find it difficult to breathe while travelling through a road construction site. These experiences cannot be denied.” Authorities speak A senior official said, “We have noted that Mumbai’s AQI has worsened in two days [Monday and Tuesday]. But we must also look at wind speed and other climatic conditions. Regarding road works, the same measures in place for private construction sites are also in place for BMC works. I myself intervened and halted a civic infrastructure project in Worli-Mahalaxmi area in the island city until the contractor complied with AQI guidelines.” Asked why some of the BMC's road work sites weren’t covered with sheets, an official said, “Several road works are in various stages of construction. It is not that a bunch of road works were started in the past three or four days alone. Dust arises from road construction during the initial stages of excavation, which lasts for a short period of time.” Another senior official said, “Road works across the city are monitored and held against the same rules that apply to construction sites.” The official added, “There are multiple factors involved here. Dust accumulates under parked vehicles on the street. When the vehicles are moved by their owners, dust is kicked up. A holistic approach to the problem is needed.” Tuesday meet According to an official, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani held a meeting regarding all BMC projects on Tuesday and sought an update on the amount of excavation that will take place across the city over the next few months. An official said, “The municipal commissioner’s opinion was that we must be careful not to make a mess.” An official said, “Major excavation work is planned for the island city. Work is in advanced stages in the suburbs. Due to the elections, several road works were slowed down for a month when rallies were taking place. Now work has picked up again and is likely to peak in April and May. However, we take precautions and green nets are installed around all road construction sites.” ‘Works are for city’s benefit’ Speaking to mid-day, Gagrani said, “Wherever there is excavation, dust is likely to be present. Excavation is a brief part of the process of road concreting. These works are [ultimately] benefiting Mumbai.” He added that dust contributes to PM2.5 and PM10 pollutants in the air, saying, “Infrastructure work as well as other [private] construction work has been stopped by BMC before, if we found the project was generating an unacceptable amount of dust.” Green nets up to four feet in height are installed around concreting work sites, in contrast to construction sites, which are required to be fully covered. Gagrani said, “This is sufficient for the work carried out during concreting. Dust pollution is a temporary effect of the work BMC has undertaken.” He added, “BMC’s 28-point guidelines for all construction sites are applicable to civic construction sites as well.” Officials confirmed that... 1 Misting and spraying of water around the road construction site is mandatory for the contractor2 Not all 918 roads in the city are being excavated at the same time
05 February,2026 11:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MSADVERTISEMENT
