BHUBANESWAR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION CRACKS DOWN ON CONSTRUCTION DUST; ISSUES STRICT NEW AIR QUALITY MANDATES

BHUBANESWAR, January 7, 2026 –
In a significant move aimed at combating deteriorating air quality, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a stringent set of guidelines targeting pollution arising from construction activities across the city.
The new directives, issued via an office order by the BMC Commissioner on January 6, come effective immediately. They follow recommendations made during a high-level meeting on the city’s air quality held late last month.
The BMC has mandated that these measures be implemented in all categories of buildings undergoing construction, demolition, or renovation. The order specifically highlights a need for special focus on large-scale projects, including apartments, commercial establishments, institutions, and hospitals.
An Eight-Point Strategy for Cleaner Air
The municipal body has laid out an eight-point strategy that contractors and builders must adhere to strictly. The core of the order focuses on containing dust at its source. Key mandates include:
Vehicle Management: Heavy vehicles transporting construction materials must be properly covered. Furthermore, vehicles must be regularly and properly washed before entering or exiting construction sites to prevent tracking mud and dust onto city roads.
Site Containment: Under-construction sites must feature "full cladding" to prevent dust from spreading to neighborhoods.
Dust Suppression: Setbacks and open areas of project sites must be temporarily paved and watered regularly. Similarly, existing approach roads to sites must be paved (temporarily or permanently) to minimize dust pollution.
Green Cover: In a forward-looking measure, the BMC has mandated peripheral plantation from the very inception of construction, ensuring trees are fully grown by the time a project is completed.
Technology and Guidelines: Builders are instructed to follow guidelines issued by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and utilize available modern technologies to minimize both noise and air pollution.
Strict Enforcement and Severe Penalties
The BMC has emphasized that these instructions will be strictly enforced throughout its jurisdiction until further orders.
The corporation has adopted a zero-tolerance stance on deviations. According to the order, failure to comply will result in severe consequences, including the immediate suspension of building plans and the stopping of all construction work until necessary mitigation measures are put in place.
Additionally, violators will face initiation of legal measures under the ODA Act, the Environment Protection Act, and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.
All Zonal Deputy Commissioners of the BMC have been alerted to ensure necessary action and information dissemination regarding these new environmental protocols.