The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has completed construction of the stations, which are expected to start functioning from May 1

The project is a year behind schedule, but 11 air quality monitoring stations across Mumbai and its suburbs will start functioning from May. The centres will provide real-time air updates to citizens about the quality of air in their localities.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) said it has completed construction of the air quality monitoring stations and they are expected to start functioning from May 1. Apart from Mumbai, six other real-time air quality monitoring stations will be inaugurated in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), with one each at Thane, Navi Mumbai and Dombivli. Vasai and Pune will get two continuous air quality monitoring stations of its own. MPCB is developing a smartphone application and display boards, which will provide real-time air quality updates to citizens.

“In all, 17 such stations will start functioning from May. Each of these stations will monitor PM2.5 — small pollutant particles that can easily enter the lungs and cause respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses — as the lead pollutant,” said P Anbalagan, member secretary, MPCB. “We wanted to inaugurate stations in Mumbai from April 1, but owing to some technical snags it has been delayed.”