Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project Halted After Bombay High Court Crackdown on Pollution Violations

Work on India’s much-anticipated Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has been temporarily suspended following strict action by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), acting under the directions of the Bombay High Court. The stoppage comes after serious violations of air pollution control norms were found at the construction site of the Bullet Train station at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

The Bombay High Court, while monitoring the alarming rise in air pollution levels across Mumbai, took note of a ground-level reality report submitted by a four-member expert panel. Based on the findings, the court summoned Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and the Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), seeking personal explanations over administrative inaction.

During the hearing, officials informed the court that construction activities at several major infrastructure projects in Mumbai had been halted for non-compliance with pollution control guidelines—prominently including the Bullet Train project.

BMC Issues Stop-Work Notice

Following complaints of excessive dust and deteriorating air quality in BKC, the BMC conducted an inspection and found clear violations of mandatory dust mitigation and environmental safeguards. Essential measures such as regular water sprinkling, fogging, and other dust suppression techniques were either absent or grossly inadequate.

Taking immediate action, the civic body issued a stop-work notice to the executing agency, directing it to implement corrective measures without delay. The BMC has categorically stated that construction will not resume until full compliance is ensured and warned of stricter action in case of further violations.

High Court’s Stern Observations

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad observed that, prima facie, senior officials of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and MPCB must personally explain the failure of their departments to enforce pollution control norms. The bench further directed that stop-work notices should be issued at all sites where environmental guidelines are being flouted.

Widespread Violations Found

The expert panel reported serious lapses at multiple construction and redevelopment sites in South Mumbai, including Fort, Cuffe Parade, and Colaba. At four inspected sites, compliance with BMC guidelines was found to be poor, with deficiencies not limited to minor oversights but reflecting fundamental failures in dust control and site management.

Out of these, three sites—Kalpataru Chambers, DG Chambers, and Majestic Amdar Niwas—were found to be almost entirely non-compliant with basic pollution control and safety measures. At another site, Opal Constructions, an Air Quality Index (AQI) monitor was installed improperly at ground level in a 20-storey building under construction, rendering it ineffective.

Significantly, the panel also flagged violations at large infrastructure projects, including the Bullet Train and Metro works, highlighting systemic non-compliance.

Court Monitoring Pollution Crisis

The Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the recent spike in Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) and is hearing a public interest litigation on the issue. The panel noted that pollution control measures such as water sprinkling, fogging, and the use of smog guns were often irregular, tokenistic, or restricted only to areas under visible administrative scrutiny.

As judicial oversight intensifies, the temporary halt of the Bullet Train project underscores the court’s message that environmental compliance cannot be compromised—even for flagship infrastructure projects.