Pune: Rise in Complaints Over Construction Dust and Noise in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, Authorities Issue Stop Work Notices
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are witnessing a surge in complaints regarding dust and noise pollution from construction sites. Municipal corporations have responded by issuing stop work notices to several site owners after inspections revealed inadequate measures to control pollution.
From January 2024 to January 2025, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) issued 16 show cause notices for violations, while 48 directives were issued for breaches of Eco-Sensitive Zone regulations.
Rajesh Bankar, superintendent engineer of PMC, stated that over 200 stop-work notices were issued, with around 45-50 sites agreeing to comply. At PCMC, authorities received 289 complaints about air quality and 165 about noise pollution, leading to fines amounting to Rs 7-8 lakh and stop-work notices for 58 sites over dust and 19 for noise violations.
Inspections revealed non-compliance with norms like sprinklers and green nets, particularly in Aundh, Baner, and Hinjewadi-Phase 3. Meanwhile, green building practices remain limited, despite incentives like additional Floor Space Index (FSI) under Maharashtra’s Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR).
Experts have highlighted the lack of sustainable materials in most projects, with only a small percentage being pre-certified as green buildings.
