RTI shows rise in malaria screening, cases; experts flag lapses at construction sites

Mumbai's malaria cases among construction workers have more than doubled this year, attributed to increased testing and poor anti-malaria measures.

Mumbai: Malaria detections at the city’s construction sites have more than doubled this year, according to data shared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in response to an RTI filed by advocate Tushar Bhosale.

RTI shows rise in malaria screening, cases; experts flag lapses at construction sites

The civic body recorded 38 positive malaria cases among construction workers during screening drives held in February–March and June–July 2025, compared to 17 cases during the same period last year. However, the rise in recorded cases has come alongside a sharp increase in testing.

In February–March this year, the BMC screened 50,190 construction workers and detected seven cases, while in the same period in 2024 it screened 21,791 workers and found the same number of positive cases.

The contrast was sharper in June–July, when 51,138 workers were screened and 31 tested positive, compared to 36,499 screenings and 10 positives in 2024. In July 2023, Mumbai had recorded 17 malaria cases among construction workers.

Among individual wards, A Ward, which covers Colaba, Fort and Marine Drive, reported the highest number of malaria cases this year with four positive cases among 738 workers screened.

It was followed by C Ward, covering Marine Lines, Kalbadevi and Chira Bazar, which detected three cases among 791 workers. Several wards, including G South, S Ward and B Ward, reported zero cases despite large-scale screening.

Bhosale said the surge reflects major lapses on the part of both the civic body and private contractors. “Construction sites are turning into hotspots of malaria. Mosquitoes are everywhere, and extra fogging needs to be done by both the BMC and the site owners,” he said. He added that although testing has increased, anti-malaria measures on the ground are not being implemented properly. “We are seeing more and more cases among workers at construction sites,” he said.

Citywide, Mumbai has already crossed 6,000 malaria cases in 2025. Civic officials attribute the surge to the early monsoon and the prolonged mosquito-breeding conditions created by heavy rains this year.

A senior BMC official said the civic body’s aggressive screening strategy is helping detect infections early. “We are screening lakhs of workers, and many of them are already infected. Early detection allows us to cure carriers before the disease spreads,” the official said.

“This initiative is one of its kind. We are reaching out to many construction sites, increasing insecticide use, improving parasite control and addressing mosquito breeding. Once we detect, we provide complete treatment to the people as well,” the civic official added.