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 amid shortages, the civic body has assured that only recycled water or water sourced from wells and borewells will be used.
The BMC’s Rs 8.25-crore road-washing proposal, unanimously rejected by the Standing Committee in October over Mumbai’s water crisis and the ongoing 10% water cut, is back on the table.
With air pollution rising after Diwali, the civic body has revived the plan, this time promising to use recycled water to wash roads and curb dust pollution across the city.
The proposed drive involves 2,000-, 5,000- and 10,000-litre tankers spraying roads with high-pressure water to suppress dust from construction, redevelopment, vehicular and industrial activities. The cleaning operations are scheduled during off-peak hours, particularly between 3 am and 6 am, a civic official said.
“Road washing was among the measures undertaken by the BMC in compliance with Bombay High Court directions. The committee objected only to the use of potable water. We are strictly ensuring that the contractors appointed for the work will not use water from BMC's potable filling points. They will have to show us which source they will use to wash the roads. They can use well or borewell water for the purpose. We also have vehicle-mounted dust-suction systems, sprinklers, and fogging and misting systems for dust suppression.”
Road Dust A Major Pollution Contributor
According to a 2018–19 Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) study on Mumbai’s pollution sources, marine particles account for 18% of PM10 and 26% of PM2.5 pollution.
Road-dust resuspension contributes around 30%, while construction activity and vehicular emissions account for approximately 9% each. To suppress dust, the BMC began washing roads in November 2023 following directions from then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Water Requirement And Sources
Rough estimates
Water will be sourced from treated sewage, wells and borewells.
Mumbai generates around 2,190 MLD of sewage daily. Currently, the BMC has only one operational STP in Colaba, with a treatment capacity of 37 MLD.
Civic officials claim existing recycled water from STPs is sufficient for the road-washing exercise.
Contractors will have to arrange their own tankers and clarify the source of non-potable water.
Daily Water Requirement
Roads to be washed: 377, spanning 677 km.
Average tanker capacity considered: 5,000 litres.
Estimated daily water requirement: 1.065 MLD (10.65 lakh litres).
Project Cost Break-Up
Based on previous proposal
Total estimated expenditure: Rs 8.25 crore.
Average daily expenditure: Rs 5.50 lakh.
Cost per kilometre for 150 days: Rs 12,186.
Cost per kilometre per day: Rs 81.24.
How Will Effectiveness Be Monitored?
The BMC will monitor how long dust levels remain low after road washing. It will also assess how quickly dust accumulates again after washing.
Will Road Washing Improve Mumbai's AQI?
Road washing can suppress airborne road dust, particularly PM10. However, it cannot guarantee a significant improvement in Mumbai's overall AQI on its own.
Other major pollution sources include construction activity, vehicular emissions, industries and waste burning. All cost and water consumption figures are approximate estimates.
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Environmental activist Stalin D said, “The BMC used to wash roads even in the 1980s, and it is a good practice to suppress dust. Dust tends to accumulate along road shoulders due to vehicular movement. Washing roads daily, preferably early in the morning, can therefore be effective in reducing airborne dust.”
The BMC will prioritise high-traffic arterial roads, dusty road shoulders and congested junctions.
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