After contractors’ request, civic body mulls asphalt units in city

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking into the feasibility of considering request of contractors to allow them to set up asphalt manufacturing

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking into the feasibility of considering request of contractors to allow them to set up asphalt manufacturing units within city limits. Presently, these plants are located in the outs adjoining satellite suburbs, such as Navi Mumbai and Bhiwandi. Municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi told HT, “We are considering it [request of contractors], provided we can ensure pollution control standards.”

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Civic officials say road contractors have repeatedly submitted requests to BMC, saying that for the durability of roads, they need to maintain an optimum temperature of asphalt before pouring it onto ongoing road work. This becomes impossible when the commute between the asphalt manufacturing plant and the site is long.

Additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal, in charge of the roads department, said, “The roads department has received such requests from contractors and BMC will study its feasibility before deciding to allow asphalt plants inside the city.”

Environmentalist Rishi Agarwal said, “There is no doubt that the pollutants generated from an asphalt manufacturing plant are harmful. But with the right kind of technical expertise, this can be done if it is vetted properly.”

BMC has its own asphalt manufacturing plant in Worli.

Sunderraj MK, an expert from manufacturing industries, said, “Smoke from such plants can be treated, ionised before discharging it into the atmosphere.”

Rohit Shinkre, who heads the Rachana Sansad Institute of environment architecture said, “Mumbai has isolated areas where asphalt plants can be set up, such as the Port trust areas.”