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As Ahmedabad gets ready for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, air quality is one of the few aspects that has raised concerns among authorities. Ahmedabad figures on the list of 120 India cities that do not meet the national standards of ambient air quality, with dust from construction sites being a significant pollutant.
Of the over 850 active construction sites the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) monitored in the last six months, over 472 were not following the guidelines to mitigate air pollution, The Indian Express has learnt.
The AMC has imposed over Rs 1.25 crore as fines on these construction sites during the last six months under the Policy on Good Construction Practices, implemented in the city in June 2025.
In the six month period till January 31, 2026, of the 842 active construction sites across Ahmedabad, only 134 had installed dust sensors, official sources said.
In the last four years, the number of active construction sites in the city has nearly doubled from around 450 sites during 2021-22, as per the data from Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).
Speaking to The Indian Express, Ramesh Desai, Chief City Planner at AMC, said that the civic body is strictly monitoring the implementation of the Good Construction Practices policy, with the increase in the number of construction sites.
“While 134 sites have installed dust sensors to track the AQI on a regular basis, 472 sites have been penalised in the last six months for not following the guidelines. The policy includes air pollution mitigation interventions and actions to be followed for construction sites having built up area of over 5,000 sq m. Effective implementation and monitoring of the policy will help mitigate the air pollution from the construction sector,” Desai said.
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Ahmedabad is on the list of 120 cities declared as non-attainment cities by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for not meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards prescribed under Air Act 1981.
According to the Source Apportionment Study for Ahmedabad conducted by the Gujarat Environment Management Institute (GEMI) with support from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), road dust is the highest contributor to particulate matter (PM) emissions (36 per cent) in 2018, followed by the domestic sector (34 per cent), construction activities (16 per cent) and point sources (12 per cent).
The primary causes of road dust in the city are high construction activity, uncovered transport of construction materials, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and unpaved areas/roads.
Desai said, “While the health department inspects the sites every week, the daily mounting of the AQI levels is done with the help of dust sensors. Whenever the dust level rises, remedies like automated water misters and sprinklers to keep the air clean start working. Covering the entire building with green net or any other sheet is also a part of the policy.”
The policy document states, “Construction activities are a significant contributor to particulate matter (PM) and dust pollution including activities such as demolition, cutting, hammering, crushing, drilling, mechanical demolition, excavation, dressing loose soil before foundation work, material handling and storage, material transfer, C&D (construction and demolition) waste management. To mitigate air and dust pollution from construction activities, the AMC has issued several notifications to control air pollution from the construction sector. These notifications include instructions for builders to follow during construction activities on site, excavation, demolition of existing old buildings, C&D waste management, basement construction, tree plantation, rainwater harvesting systems/percolation wells, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the installation and operation of construction tower cranes”.
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Mitigation measures include installation of air quality monitoring sensors with a particular specification at all construction sites having built up area of more than 20,000 sq m or buildings with 45 m-70 m height or buildings above 100 m high and covering the entire building with green net or different material that does not allow to emit dust from construction sites.
Use of a mist machine to mitigate the dust emissions and anti-smog gun or mist machine for all kinds of dust generating activities, including demolition activities, excavation, ready mix cement concrete plant, material storage, handling and transfer, during all phases of construction is also mandatory under the policy.
Of the 452 construction sites registered in 2021-22, 128 had more than 5,000 sq m built up area — including residential, commercial and other buildings. Of the newly registered sites, nearly 72 per cent have a built-up area of over 5,000 sq m.
Of them, sites with built-up area between 10,000 sq m and 20,000 sq m are the highest (30 per cent), followed by those with built up area varying from 5,000 sq m to 10,000 sq m (24 per cent) and sites with built up area of more than 20,000 sq m (18 per cent).
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Construction sites with a built up area more than 20,000 sq m need to get an environmental clearance and follow air quality measures.
Officials told The Indian Express that the AMC has initiated comprehensive preparations for clean air and sustainable urban development aiming at managing the environment as per international standards, in view of the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad in 2030.
A pilot project
Before implementing the policy, the Air Quality Management Cell (AQM Cell) and the Town Development Department (TDO) of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation had coordinated with builders and contractors to initiate a pilot project to install dust sensors for real-time particulate matter (PM) monitoring and data-driven decision-making, particularly in areas where high construction activities are observed, such as Thaltej, Bodakdev, Sarkhej, Ambli, Chandkheda, Shivranjani, Naroda, Vatva, Lambha, and Gota. These sensors monitor PM (PM1, PM2.5, PM10, PM100), pressure, temperature, and humidity at 15-minute intervals. All collected data is transmitted to the AMC’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) for analysis, enabling necessary mitigation actions, as needed.
The numbers
# 842 active construction sites in Ahmedabad (as on January 31, 2026)
# 134 construction sites have installed dust sensors
# 472 : number of penalised sites (from April 2025 to Jan 2026)
# Rs 1.25 crore: Total amount collected as penalties during the period
