Construction dust clouds Bengaluru air quality, warn officials

Bengaluru: Bengaluru may breathe easier than many Indian metros, but uncontrolled construction dust and poor handling of debris are undercutting the city's fight against pollution, senior officials said at a conference organised by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).GBA chief commissioner Maheswar Rao, while stating the govt was open to incentivising green construction through changes in building by-laws or zoning rules, and hinted at awards for institutions adopting sustainable practices, proposed working with IGBC on a city-level rating framework.
"We would like to work together to see how the city can meet its climate targets while continuing to grow," he said, adding that Bengaluru must aim to push particulate matter levels well below 20-25 in the next two to three years. Construction activity, he noted, remains a dominant source of PM10 pollution."While Bengaluru is better placed compared to cities in north India, PM10 levels are still influenced heavily by construction dust. Green buildings should not only be about certification, but also about how responsibly they are constructed," Rao said.He pointed out that systems for managing construction and demolition debris were already in place, yet compliance was weak. "Many developers feel that once debris disposal is outsourced, responsibility ends there. That mindset has to change. The construction process itself must be green," he said, urging firms to deploy sustainability teams to monitor on-site practices.Echoing the concern, Gokul, member-secretary, Karnataka Pollution Control Board, said the city's air quality was slipping. "While we are not as bad as Delhi, Bengaluru's air quality is still poor. One of the major contributors to the pollution, along with vehicular movement, is construction waste and debris, which are not managed well... Big builders and construction companies must ensure their C&D waste is not harming the air they breathe.""Silt and dust we see on the roadsides are the biggest contributors to air pollution, and this dust is coming from construction. While construction can't be stopped, it should at least be managed well. We also act on complaints where builders or construction companies are seen disposing of waste illegally and take action against such complaints," Gokul told TOI.IGBC said Karnataka has become the country's third-largest hub for green buildings with about 1,500 IGBC-registered projects, achieved largely through voluntary efforts by developers. Industry representatives said even modest incentives could speed up adoption and influence occupant behaviour.IGBC also suggested making Vidhana Soudha the world's first net-zero legislature, stating that technical groundwork was ready. Rao welcomed the idea and said it would be examined. "Growth is not the problem. How responsibly we grow will define the city's future," he said.Air quality data from Dec 2025 showed Bengaluru in the moderate range with AQI between 55 and 70. Spikes were recorded near Silk Board, BTM Layout, Peenya and KR Puram, but the city avoided the prolonged winter smog seen in north India.MSID:: 127991751 413 |