NMMC shuts nine construction sites in Sanpada and Ghansoli for violating air pollution norms

The current enforcement drive is part of a sustained campaign launched by the NMMC at the start of 2026 to tackle winter smog. On January 8, the civic body had ordered the immediate closure of 19 construction sites across the city after the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 200 mark, while issuing notices to 42 other developers

Navi Mumbai: In a stringent drive to rein in worsening air quality, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has stopped construction activity at nine sites across Sanpada and Ghansoli over the past few days for flouting mandatory pollution-control norms.

Navi Mumbai, India - Jan. 31, 2026:NMMC seals seven construction sites in Sanpada as pollution crackdown intensifies at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai, India, on Saturday, January 31, 2026. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

The action, taken in compliance with directives of the Bombay High Court, saw work halted at two projects in Ghansoli on Saturday and seven in Sanpada earlier this week. Civic officials said the developers had failed to implement prescribed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for dust and noise mitigation despite repeated warnings.

On Friday, a high-level inspection team led by additional municipal commissioner Dr Rahul Gethe, city engineer Shirish Aardwad and zone-2 deputy commissioner Sanjay Shinde conducted checks in the Ghansoli division to assess compliance with environmental norms. Following the inspection, the NMMC sealed a property at plots 24 and 25 in Sector 3, Ghansoli, while issuing a “stop work” notice to another project at plot 26 in the same sector, effectively bringing construction at both locations to a halt.

The latest action follows a crackdown in the Turbhe division, where seven construction sites were sealed on January 27 and 29. These measures stemmed from a surprise inspection conducted on January 24, which exposed widespread violations of the 27-point pollution control guidelines. The sealed sites in Sanpada are located in sectors 8, 16A, 19 and 20.

Officials said the nature of violations was largely uniform across all nine sites. These included perimeter tin barricades that did not meet the mandatory 30-foot height requirement, the absence of wet jute sheets or green cloth coverings on under-construction buildings, and non-functional water fogging machines during material loading and unloading. Water sprinkling systems to suppress dust within a 500-metre radius were also found to be non-operational, while vehicles transporting soil were moving without protective covers. In several cases, workers were not provided masks or safety gear, and no responsible site managers were present during inspections.

“We have issued clear directions to ensure immediate and effective measures to control rising air pollution, in line with the High Court’s orders. Strict care must be taken to prevent dust pollution within a 500-metre radius of construction sites. In the coming period, action will be intensified across all departmental jurisdictions in Navi Mumbai,” municipal commissioner Kailas Shinde said.

The current enforcement drive is part of a sustained campaign launched by the NMMC at the start of 2026 to tackle winter smog. On January 8, the civic body had ordered the immediate closure of 19 construction sites across the city after the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 200 mark, while issuing notices to 42 other developers.

The corporation has also made it clear that government agencies will not be spared. In late December last year, show-cause notices were issued to CIDCO over alleged violations at its mass housing projects in Juinagar and Vashi.

Financial penalties have also been stepped up. Between October 2025 and January 2026, the NMMC’s town planning department collected over ₹1.40 crore in fines from 87 developers for breaching pollution norms. Additionally, the civic body is strictly enforcing the use of treated water from sewage treatment plants at construction sites, banning the use of potable water.

The NMMC has warned that repeated violations could result in the permanent revocation of development permissions.