Air purification units installed at 3 major traffic junctions in Mumbai, more to follow

In a bid to bring down pollution levels, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has installed air purifiers at three major traffic intersections in the city.

The purifiers were installed earlier this week and will become functional next week.

The purification units, called Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Unit (WAYU), were developed jointly by IIT-Bombay and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).

According to reports, a total of five units have been installed in the city so far, with three at Sion Circle, one at Ghatkopar and one at Bhandup.

Three more are expected to come up in Kalanagar shortly, with more planned across the city.

According to Dr Rakesh Kumar, director of NEERI, WAYU uses low speed wind generators and filters along with a thermal oxidiser for removal of toxic content. The air is passed through the filters, where the particulates are removed.

The air is heated inside the specially designed section of the device with appropriate surface and retention time, within the thermal oxidisers where the carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, VOCs get converted to carbon dioxide.

During initial testing, it was found that the device reduced the pollutant concentrations by 40 to 60 percent in a 30-metre radius.

Mumbai’s air quality index, which also factors in the particulate matter, has consistently been ‘poor’ according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

The purification units, which run on electricity, will especially be useful during peak hour traffic, when the level of carbon monoxide in air is highest.

The prototype was first shown to State Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam last year. Although the initial response was positive, the final nod came through recently.