Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has responded to Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone after the latter flagged the city's worsening Air Quality Index (AQI). Mumbai's deteriorating air quality has once again taken centre stage after Padukone raised an alarm on social media sharing the city's AQI readings.
In her post, she stated, "This city (& its children) are choking! How is this okay?" Padukone tagged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in her post on Instagram.
Padukone's post, which highlighted average AQI levels hovering around 150, quickly sparked public conversation and drew a formal response from the civic administration.
Mayor Ritu Tawde Responds
Speaking to the media, Mayor Tawde acknowledged the concerns and emphasised that the administration values voices from all sections of society: "Deepika Padukone has said something. She is a celebrity, and we respect that. We are listening to every Mumbaikar."
Tawde admitted that the AQI has increased, adding that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is "not denying that" and is actively discussing additional precautionary measures. The Mayor attributed a significant part of the pollution spike to the scale of ongoing construction activity across Mumbai, stating that around 2,250 construction sites, including Metro and MMRDA projects, are currently operational.
Deepika Padukone.
Photo Credit: Instagram
Dust-Control Measures and SOP Enforcement
To counter rising dust levels, the BMC has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to all builders, Metro contractors, and agencies involved in infrastructure projects. Tawde said these agencies have been directed to follow strict dust-mitigation measures, including:
- Mandatory covering of construction material
- Controlled transportation of debris
- Regular cleaning of roads near construction zones
Authorities have also installed digital AQI display boards at several sites. Based on real-time readings, the civic body issues stop-work notices when pollution levels breach permissible limits.
Additionally, the Mayor highlighted that builders have been instructed to deep clean roads after unloading construction material to prevent dust from spreading into surrounding residential areas.
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