Pollution crackdown: 88 per cent construction sites in Maharashtra receive 'stop-work' notice
Times of India
by TOI NEWS DESKFebruary 24, 2026
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The Maharashtra government has launched a rigorous crackdown on air pollution by issuing stop-work notices to over 1,000 construction sites across Mumbai, with nearly 88% of active projects violating environmental norms. As part of the "clean air" initiative, authorities have served 1,047 stop-work notices and 1,981 show-cause notices from October 2025 to January 2026. Of the 2,224 active construction sites in the city, 1,952—about 88%—have installed low-cost air quality sensors, while non-compliant sites face strict penalties and enforcement actions. This unprecedented move highlights the government's commitment to curbing pollution through technology-driven monitoring and stricter regulations.
The initiative has already shown significant results. On January 16 alone, 678 construction projects were ordered to halt operations for failing to comply with mandatory sensor installation norms. Authorities are following a strict escalation matrix for violators, starting with formal intimations, followed by show-cause notices, and finally stop-work orders. The government has also deployed 25 ward-level flying squads to target illegal debris transport, collecting over Rs 1.21 lakh in fines since October. Additionally, 126 water tankers and 25 misting machines have been used to wash over 14,408 kilometers of roads, effectively combating dust pollution.
Despite concerns about a potential public health crisis, Maharashtra's Environment Minister Pankaja Munde cited reports from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), which found no adverse health impacts among vulnerable
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/24/2026