Mumbai: BMC Revives ₹8.25-Crore Road-Washing Plan, 377 Roads To Be Cleaned Using Recycled Water
Mumbai, November 15, 2026: A month after the BMC rejected its earlier proposal, the civic body has revamped its road-washing plan and submitted it to the upcoming Standing Committee for final approval. The ambitious drive will cover 377 roads spanning 677 km, with high-pressure water tankers deployed across seven zones for 150 days, excluding the monsoon. To address concerns about water wastage…
Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to resume its ₹8.25-crore road-washing initiative, targeting the cleaning of 377 roads, totaling 677 km, using recycled water. The plan, which was previously rejected by the Standing Committee in October, aims to control dust pollution caused by construction, redevelopment, vehicular and industrial activities.
The 150-day operation, to be conducted outside the monsoon season, will employ high-pressure water tankers in seven zones, utilizing recycled water or water from wells and borewells to address concerns about water wastage.
The BMC has assured that contractors will not use water from the municipal potable filling points, instead specifying the source of the non-potable water they will employ. Dust suppression systems, including sprinklers, fogging and misting systems, will also be utilized. Following a 2018-19 Maharashtra Pollution Control Board study, which identified road dust as a major contributor to pollution in Mumbai, the BMC initiated the road-washing drive in November 2023.
The projected daily water requirement for the project is 1.065 MLD (10.65 lakh litres), based on an average tanker capacity of 5,000 litres. The total estimated expenditure for the project is Rs 8.25 crore, with an average daily expenditure of Rs 5.50 lakh. The BMC will monitor the effectiveness of the road washing by measuring the duration dust remains at low levels and the rate at which dust accumulates after washing.
While road washing can help suppress airborne road dust, it cannot guarantee a significant improvement in Mumbai's overall Air Quality Index (AQI), as other major pollution sources include construction activity, vehicular emissions, industries and waste burning.
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