Mumbai: Dust storm brews on Aarey roads

The 100-metre stretch from Aarey Market towards Royal Palms where significant dust pollution was evident on Wednesday. Pics/Nimesh Dave

The Public Works Department (PWD) appears to have overlooked dust mitigation protocols mandated by the BMC and the state government, resulting in significant dust emissions during internal road construction at Aarey Milk Colony. This has caused considerable inconvenience to local residents and motorists.

The PWD has undertaken the task of constructing new internal roads inside Aarey Milk Colony, connecting tribal hamlets and cattle farm units. At some locations, the roads are being built using cement concrete, while at others, tar is being used.

However, concerns have been raised by residents in several areas of Aarey, as it has been observed that water is not being sprinkled consistently on the newly laid road base, leading to excessive dust pollution.

On Wednesday, this correspondent travelled from Aarey Market towards Royal Palms and observed a 100-metre stretch where significant dust pollution was evident. The stone-crush mixture and other road construction materials had been dumped along the roadside, with some spilling onto the road. Passing vehicles further exacerbated the problem, stirring up clouds of dust.

"At some places where the internal road is being constructed, the contractor is sprinkling water, but on the stretch from Aarey Market to Royal Palms, road construction material has been dumped along the roadside, and some of it has spilled onto the road, causing severe air pollution. The cement concrete and stone-crush dust make it extremely difficult to breathe. We hope the authorities take measures like continuous sprinkling of water to prevent air pollution," said local resident, Shipra Dubey.

Spread across 16 sq km, Aarey Milk Colony comprises 27 tribal hamlets, slum pockets, several cattle farm units, and the Royal Palms area. Over 60,000 people live in Aarey.

In March 2024, news reports revealed that the Bombay High Court had directed the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries Department to expedite the repair of 45 kilometres of internal roads in Aarey Milk Colony.

"Air pollution has become a serious issue, but it seems the contractor for the Aarey road is least bothered. We are forced to breathe air full of dust and cement concrete along the stretch from Aarey Market to Royal Palms," said another resident.

What PWD officials say

A PWD official said, "We regularly sprinkle water on the internal roads under construction to prevent dust pollution. However, at some locations, the water dries quickly due to high vehicular movement. At one site, construction materials have been stacked, and we will ensure they are covered. We will also increase the frequency of water sprinkling to control dust pollution."

60K
Approx. No. of people living in Aarey