Union Minister Piyush Goyal has proposed a significant shift in Mumbai's construction paradigm to combat the city's severe dust pollution. Speaking at a gathering in Malad West, the minister emphasized the urgent need to incentivize modern building techniques like precast and steel construction, which generate far less dust than traditional methods.
Call for Incentives to Modernize Construction
Addressing businessmen and housing society representatives at Adarsh Complex, Goyal highlighted a global trend. "All over the world, you don't see reinforced concrete (RC) mixers. You see steel and precast structures," he stated. Acknowledging that these methods might carry a higher initial cost, the minister revealed his plan to discuss potential concessions and incentives with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The goal is to make eco-friendly construction financially viable for developers.
The meeting held special significance as it preceded the crucial Mumbai municipal corporation elections scheduled for January 15. Goyal directly linked construction activities to the city's pollution woes, pointing out that dust from building sites significantly degrades air quality.
Removing RC Mixers and Building Consensus
Goyal shared his proactive approach from his own parliamentary constituency, North Mumbai, where he facilitated the removal of four or five concrete mixing plants. He advocated for a broader relocation of these RC mixers outside city limits to mitigate their environmental impact.
Instead of imposing strict mandates, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry suggested a collaborative path. He called for building a consensus among builders to voluntarily adopt cleaner precast and steel construction methods. This approach, he argued, would be more effective in the long run for pollution control.
Focus on Local Issues Ahead of Civic Polls
Keeping the focus on local civic matters, Goyal also stressed the need for municipal corporations to designate public grounds specifically for hosting religious, cultural, and sports events. This would help in managing urban space more efficiently.
He explicitly steered clear of international topics, noting, "As these are municipal corporation elections, I am not going into international issues." This included forgoing discussion on his recent trip to Brussels, where he nearly finalized the pivotal European Union-India Free Trade Agreement.
Goyal's remarks underscore a growing recognition within the government that tackling Mumbai's environmental challenges requires innovative policy measures and financial encouragement for sustainable industry practices.
