The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), under the guidance of Commissioner Abhinav Goel, has implemented several measures across the twin cities that have successfully maintained the Air Quality Index (AQI) below 100, and on many days even below 50, according to civic officials. These efforts combine a variety of pollution-control strategies.
As part of these initiatives, KDMC has operationalized an outdoor air purification system at the busy Tata Power House junction under the Centre’s National Air Quality Programme (NAQP). Additionally, eight air mist fountain systems have been installed at key traffic-heavy junctions to curb dust and improve ambient air quality.
Rohini Lokare, Executive Engineer in KDMC’s environment department, explained that the outdoor purification units draw in polluted air, filter out dust, fine particulate matter, and harmful pollutants, and release cleaner air back into the environment. “These systems are equipped with high-efficiency filtration and ventilation mechanisms and operate continuously to improve air quality,” she said. She added that carbon filters help control harmful gases, while smart monitoring systems enable real-time AQI tracking. KDMC plans to install two more such outdoor purification units in the near future.
Officials noted that the dry mist fountains use specialized nozzles to create micron-sized droplets that suppress dust without wetting the surroundings. These systems also help reduce ambient temperature and provide a cooling effect in congested urban areas.
To tackle dust on smaller roads, KDMC has deployed ten “gobbler” machines that absorb fine particles. The civic body has also implemented strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) for construction sites under the guidance of Commissioner Abhinav Goel. Builders have been directed to maintain dust-free zones extending up to 500 meters for large projects spread over 10,000 square meters, 200 meters for projects up to 6,000 square meters, and 100 meters for projects up to 4,000 square meters. These measures include daily water sprinkling and mandatory photo and video updates shared on monitoring groups.
Lokare stated that coordinated efforts by multiple civic departments over the past two months have significantly improved air quality, keeping AQI within satisfactory levels and, on many days, in the “good” category across Kalyan-Dombivli.
