BMC begins 10-day road cleaning drive across Mumbai to curb dust

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a special drive to improve air quality in Mumbai and curb pollution caused by road dust and construction and demolition (C&D) waste. According to an official statement issued on Saturday, the drive will run across the city from October 28 to November 6, 2026.

The BMC's solid waste management department is running the drive. For this pre-Diwali cleaning campaign, the BMC has given each ward Rs 15 lakh to reduce road dust and bring down pollution in the city.

The campaign focuses on major arterial roads and identified stretches that have a heavier dust problem. Intensive cleaning, mechanical sweeping, dust removal and water sprinkling are planned there before the festival.

As part of the drive, special cleaning was carried out on Saturday on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road in Parel. Dust and pollution from construction and demolition activity contribute to worsening the city's air, and the initiative is meant to tackle this. Dust and silt accumulated along the roadsides will be removed. The civic body has directed officials to ensure that waste is lifted quickly and disposed of safely.

On the same day, the entire 11-km stretch of the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) was cleaned. A total of 8 tonnes of dust and 39.5 tonnes of construction and demolition debris were collected.

The work involved 95 workers and 11 machines. The machines included 2 JCBs, 2 dumpers, 1 mechanical power sweeper, 2 NCAP mechanical power sweepers, 3 walk-behind e-sweepers and 1 divider cleaning unit.

The BMC has directed all wards to run the drive as a precaution to control road dust. The aim is to keep Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) in check during the winter. The 10-day drive, which runs until November 6, will focus on road cleaning and dust control measures so that pollution linked to construction debris and road dust does not rise.