Mumbai: BMC plans to set up 'hyper-local' command-control centre to combat air pollution

To address air quality concerns in Mumbai, the city's civic body is in the process of establishing a command and control centre equipped with sensor-based air quality index (AQI) monitoring devices, according to an official statement on Thursday. The proposal for this initiative is currently in the "pipeline," said an official to PTI, indicating that these devices will be strategically placed across various areas of the metropolis to provide "hyper-local" air quality information.

The official clarified that while the plan is under consideration, no formal proposal has been prepared yet.

Previously, Mumbai's guardian minister, Deepak Kesarkar, had revealed plans to combat air pollution in the city by identifying six technologies, including the use of vehicle-mounted air filters. As part of this initiative, approximately 350 buses operated by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) will be equipped with "vehicle-mounted filters" aimed at removing impurities, Kesarkar announced during a press conference.

According to the latest data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India), Mumbai's overall AQI was recorded at 133 (moderate) on Thursday evening. However, in the southern part of the city, specifically at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the air quality was rated as "very poor" with an AQI of 301 on the previous Friday evening.