India, Dec. 7 -- The BMC's mechanical road sweepers were meant to be the panacea for a dust-laden city beleaguered by construction activity and poor AQI. Many citizens, however, claim that the machines are operating without the mandatory water, and far from clearing the dust, are releasing it into the air.

Mechanical sweepers function using rotating brushes that sweep dust and debris from the road surface. A water-sprinkling system is meant to run simultaneously, keeping particles down so that the dust gets suppressed and collected.

Residents from Chembur, Bandra, Chandivali and Andheri said they saw little difference after the machines moved through their neighbourhoods. "The improper operation of the machines is adding to the dust loa...