Mumbai, November 4, 2026: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed civic authorities to closely monitor construction sites across Mumbai and ensure that noise pollution norms are strictly followed, saying that preventing inconvenience to citizens was their duty.
A bench of Chief Justice MC Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna was hearing a petition filed by one Ashok Pathare alleging violations of noise pollution norms during construction work undertaken as part of a building redevelopment project.
Clarifying that it was not against construction activities, the court said work could continue only if prescribed noise limits were followed and monitored by senior civic and police officials.
“We are not stopping construction. We only want to ensure that noise levels do not exceed the permissible limits,” the Bench said, adding that the responsibility to enforce the norms rested with the authorities.
BMC Asked To Monitor Construction Sites
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the court that it had been issuing stop-work notices in response to complaints about noise from construction sites.
However, the bench stressed that action should not remain confined to notices and official records. It asked the civic body to routinely monitor construction activities across the city and divide areas into zones, with designated officers held responsible for ensuring compliance.
“This is not charity. It is their duty,” the court observed, adding that the problem could not be addressed by taking action against just one building.
The bench said it would review measures to control noise pollution every third week, along with the air pollution measures it was already monitoring. It also asked the petitioner to continue bringing instances of pollution to its notice, observing that the issue affected the public at large.
Developers Must Give Compliance Undertaking
The court further said developers must give a clear undertaking that they would comply with prescribed noise pollution norms before being allowed to continue construction.
At the same time, it cautioned civic officials against using enforcement measures to harass or extort builders.
“We do not want any department to resort to blackmailing builders. Officials must monitor compliance and issue notices wherever violations are found,” the Bench said.
In its interim order, the court noted that the BMC had issued a stop-work notice, which the developer had challenged. It directed the developer to file an undertaking that it would comply with the government resolution and applicable noise pollution guidelines.
Also Watch:
The court said further construction would be permitted only after the authorities were satisfied with the undertaking. It made clear that the BMC could not shift responsibility and would have to take immediate steps to ensure compliance.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
