Experts blame traffic, construction dust, and nearby polluted rivers for BKC’s worsening air quality
Dusty roads leading to pollution in BKC near the ONGC building in October. File pic
The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), one of Mumbai’s key commercial hubs, is becoming a major pollution hotspot, with air quality sometimes worse than Delhi’s notorious hotspots. Every year as winter and Diwali approaches, pollution surges in the city, raising health concerns. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s 2022-2023 Environmental Status Report, BKC’s Bandra Kurla Junction consistently records the city’s highest pollution levels, with PM10 concentrations at 121 micrograms per cubic meter—twice the safe limit set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Dust from ongoing construction is cited as the primary cause by the officials.
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The CPCB’s SAMEER app provides real-time AQI data, but health advocates are pushing for more aggressive action as pollution levels remain high. Reports from SAFAR categorise BKC’s AQI as “very poor,” with PM2.5 readings that worsen respiratory conditions like asthma. Data from Respirer Living Sciences shows that BKC’s October 2024 PM2.5 average was 47.69 µg/m³, making it Mumbai’s fourth most polluted area. Other highly polluted zones include Shivaji Nagar-Govandi, Sewri, and Deonar. According to Indian standards, PM2.5 levels should stay below 40 µg/m³ annually but sustained high levels pose health risks, especially to seniors and those with respiratory issues.
Expert Speak
Experts attribute the poor air quality to man-made factors like vehicular emissions and construction work. Dr Gufran Beig, chair professor at NIAS, Indian Institute of Science, and former project director of SAFAR, emphasised the importance of accurate AQI monitoring locations, stating, “The ambient station should be placed away from main roads and traffic junctions, as per CPCB guidelines. However, how far is appropriate needs deliberation. Sometimes stations are placed too far from these areas, in gardens, defeating the purpose of interventions aimed at health protection. If people spend considerable time in these high-exposure hotspots, shouldn’t we record the AQI where it matters most?”
According to SAFAR’s recommendations, AQI measurements should ideally capture air quality in various microenvironments, from clean background areas to densely populated, high-footfall zones like commuter hubs, schools, hospitals, offices, and major intersections. “An average of all is representative of the city’s AQI,” Dr Beig added.
Dr Beig, the founding project director of SAFAR, the first air quality monitoring and forecasting system in Mumbai, highlighted BKC as one of the city’s heavily populated commercial zones, attracting thousands daily. “BKC is a prime example of a high-density area with significant vehicle influx and congestion that traps pollution, qualifying it as a pollution hotspot,” he noted. He also referenced a similar study he led last year in Bengaluru for the government of Karnataka, using AI-driven drones to identify 80 pollution hotspots. Dr Beig advocates for a similar study in Mumbai to pinpoint high-risk areas for targeted mitigation.
Dr Beig suggests that reducing traffic congestion should be BKC’s top priority to combat pollution, noting that traffic in BKC contributes nearly 65 per cent of PM2.5 emissions, compared to 35 per cent across Mumbai. He recommends infrastructure changes like overpasses or alternative routes to ease traffic, adding, “MMRDA and urban planners should convert this pollution hotspot into a cleaner zone by developing alternate routes to ensure smooth traffic flow, reducing air pollution. We can offer technical insights; now, it’s up to the planning agencies to act.”
On public transport, Beig urged city planners to transition quickly to electric vehicles (EVs) and expand the Metro. He noted that poorly maintained diesel public transport is counterproductive. “Although Mumbai’s construction dust adds larger particles like PM10, it’s the PM2.5 from fossil fuels and wood burning that poses a greater health risk,” he said. Residents and workers in BKC face worsening dust, pollution, and traffic amid rapid development. Sayma Salim, a finance executive, described the haze during early mornings and evenings, especially in winter, noting how many colleagues develop coughs, likely due to pollution.
Local Speak
Nitin Rane, who has worked at BKC for eight years, observed significant increases in heat, traffic, and pollution. Major construction projects, including the Metro and bullet train sites, produce dust that coats the area, and he’s noticed a decline in dust-control measures recently. “Before monsoon, they used sprinklers, but now I rarely see them, and the dust has increased,” he said. This dust coats streets, buildings, and even tracks into offices on workers’ shoes.
Rane also highlighted worsening traffic. A commute from BKC to Santacruz, once manageable, now takes over an hour, even outside peak times. “It’s now a one- to one-and-a-half-hour journey even at non-peak times,” he noted. Parents of students at Ascend International School are alarmed by high levels of pollutants like SOx and NOx, linked to illegal dumping on nearby land. A 2023 study by a NABL-certified agency found SOx and NOx levels around the school far exceed safe limits, leading parents to petition the suburban collector to address these risks. Despite cleanup efforts, illegal dumping continues, elevating BKC’s pollution levels and ground-level ozone.
According to one parent, enforcement efforts have been insufficient. “We met with Dr Sudhakar N Shinde, AMC, who acknowledged BKC’s poor air quality, but no follow-up action was taken.” The parents argue that illegal dumping, industrial activities, and pollution from the Mithi River significantly worsen BKC’s air quality. BMC officials say they have installed nuisance detectors to curb dumping, but residents report ongoing issues with debris decomposition, which emits foul odours and affects local air quality.
What Doctors say
Dr Sanjeev Mehta, a leading pulmonologist at Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, explained the pollution situation in BKC: “There are numerous ongoing construction projects across BKC, which contribute significantly to dust in the area. With this growth, we’ve also seen a sharp rise in business infrastructure, resulting in a heavy daily influx of vehicles. The area experiences substantial crawling traffic, which produces far more pollution than moving traffic. Another factor is BKC’s proximity to the Mithi River and Bandra Khadi, both heavily polluted. Poor-quality air from these sources flows into BKC, creating a smoky haze over the area. Additionally, smoke from Dharavi’s kilns and wood-burning activities can drift toward BKC, depending on the direction of the wind. These geographic and environmental factors are leading to more frequent bad air days in BKC.”
Discussing the health impact of this pollution, Dr Mehta told mid-day, “Long-term exposure to air pollution can trigger and worsen asthma, respiratory diseases, and other health issues. Although air pollution does not directly cause tuberculosis, I see many patients from Bandra and BKC with nasal problems, persistent coughing, sore throats, and breathing difficulties.”
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