Mumbai, March 13 Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde said on Friday that the civic body was paying attention to the problems faced by all Mumbaikars, and not just focusing on individual issues, in reference to the air pollution issue raised by Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone.
"We are listening to all Mumbaikars, not just Deepika Padukone," Tawde told reporters.
Padukone had on Thursday questioned the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai and tagged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities, asking what measures were being taken to improve the situation.
Responding to the Bollywood star's remarks, Tawde said that several major projects are underway in the city and have contributed to rising dust levels.
Infrastructure work related to the Mumbai Metro, railway projects, and public works department projects across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has picked up in the last five years, she said.
Tawde said that the BMC has issued standard operating procedures to agencies and contractors working on these projects and has directed them to strictly implement dust-control measures.
On Thursday, Padukone shared AQI data for Mumbai on Instagram, which showed the average air quality index hovering around 150.
Citizens – especially children – are struggling to breathe due to worsening air quality, Padukone said.