Navi Mumbai: PMC Banks On Water Sprays To Combat Air Pollution

Navi Mumbai: In order to combat air pollution, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started spraying water on vehicles at the Kharghar toll booth on the Sion-Panvel Highway. The civic body set up a 10,000-liter water tank, featuring 12 nozzles simultaneously operational at the toll booth.

At present, the new facility is spraying on 350 to 400 vehicles an hour. However, the number of vehicles can be sprayed with water upto 3500 per hour. The civic body claims that spraying water on vehicles can check dust in the air and substantially improve the air quality of the city.

After the Bombay High Court order on air pollution, both civic bodies—Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Panvel Municipal Corporation—have become active. A number of measures are being taken.

PMC implements water spray initiative

According to a senior civic official, shortly after receiving orders from the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to reduce airborne dust without compromising the air quality index, the PMC swiftly implemented a ground-breaking initiative. “A system for spraying water on vehicles at the Kharghar toll booth on the Sion-Panvel Highway was introduced in response to this directive. Commencing from Friday evening, this innovative experiment aims to spray water on more than 3500 vehicles per hour, anticipating a significant reduction in air pollution,” said the official.

He added that within a few hours, the municipal administration activated water tanks and other necessary systems at the Kharghar toll booth. A 10,000-liter water tank has been installed, featuring 12 nozzles simultaneously operational at the toll booth. Additionally, a continuous refilling process is in place, ensuring that the tank remains operational every two hours.

Commissioner Deshmukh himself visited the toll plaza to check the system. He informed that 300 to 350 vehicles are being sprayed every hour, with personal oversight to ensure the system's effective operation.

Water sourced from PMC's Kopra lake

The water necessary for this initiative is currently sourced from PMC’s Kopra Lake. This 24-hour system is expected to require 12 to 15 water tankers. The spraying of water is planned to persist for the next five to six days. Notably, this experimental approach, involving the unprecedented spraying of water on vehicles along a national highway, holds the potential to mitigate airborne dust and contribute to reducing environmental pollutants caused by vehicular traffic entering Mumbai.

However, an environmentalist says that these measures will not stop air pollution. “This will help to some extent. But heavy vehicles already carry dust from many construction sites to toll plazas. It should be done at the originating places,” said B N Kumar from NatConnect Foundation.