Pimpri-Chinchwad's Anti-Pollution Plan Gathers Dust as Air Quality Worsens

Pimpri-Chinchwad’s GRAP anti-pollution plan lies unimplemented four months after launch. Residents face worsening air quality as PCMC struggles with delays and poor coordination.

By Mrudula Narale | Pune | April 14, 2025

Four months after the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was launched with much fanfare, Pimpri-Chinchwad’s air pollution crisis continues to worsen. The ambitious roadmap to cleaner air has failed to move beyond paperwork—leaving citizens gasping, literally and figuratively.

Grand Plan, Poor Execution

Last December, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) announced GRAP as a proactive response to rising pollution. The multi-crore initiative was meant to include:

Air purifiers in key traffic zones
Anti-smog guns at construction hotspots
Mechanized road cleaning vehicles
ANPR cameras to penalize polluting vehicles
Real-time air quality forecasting in partnership with C-DAC
Public awareness campaigns on pollution alerts

Yet, four months later, much of it remains stuck in planning and paperwork. According to residents, the only visible implementation has been occasional water sprinklers near construction zones.

What Citizens Are Saying

“My kids return from school with sore throats and coughs nearly every day,” said Sneha Deshpande, a resident of Wakad.
“We were told about air purifiers and crackdown on construction dust, but we’ve seen nothing.”

Senior citizens, too, report eye irritation and breathing issues, especially during morning walks when pollution levels are typically higher.

PCMC Admits Delays

PCMC officials acknowledge the delay, citing coordination hurdles between departments and vendor issues in procuring equipment.

“We underestimated the complexity of inter-department implementation. The GRAP rollout is delayed but not abandoned,” said a senior PCMC official on condition of anonymity.

Why It Matters

According to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Pimpri-Chinchwad’s AQI (Air Quality Index) has hovered between 170-250 on most days in March and April—levels deemed ‘unhealthy’ for sensitive groups.

Hotspots like Chinchwad, Nigdi, and Hinjawadi are seeing particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) well above permissible limits, primarily due to:

Unregulated construction activity
Rising private vehicle usage
Dusty roads and poor maintenance

Where Is GRAP Now?

Despite initial promise, the following key components are either incomplete or not started:

GRAP Component	Status
ANPR Cameras	Not Installed
Anti-Smog Guns	Delayed
Road Sweeping Machines	Partially Active
C-DAC AQI Forecasting	On Hold
Public Awareness Campaigns	Absent

The Bigger Picture

Experts warn that delayed action now could worsen public health in the long run.

“With rising temperatures and pollutant concentration, respiratory illnesses will spike if PCMC doesn’t act fast,” said Dr. Ramesh Bhate, a pulmonologist in Pimpri.