The UltraTech Cement plant was located on Marve Road. The Mumbai Pollution Control Board (MPCB) ordered its closure three months ago after residents, mostly from the nearby Rathodi village, protested against the worsening air quality.

This is the second RMC plant in the area that has been shuttered after residents started a campaign with the help of activists' groups Save Our Land (SOUL) and the Watchdog Foundation. The first one was run by a different company.

"We are so happy that the [UltraTech] plant has been shifted from here. My wife and I have breathing problems. A lot of dust from the plant used to enter our house, causing bouts of coughing. Hopefully our health will improve now," said Rathodi village resident Frank Hendriques, 69.

Another resident, Elias Gonsalves, said that officials should not allow pollution-causing plants near residential localities. "It's shocking that such industrial units are granted clearances by the pollution control board," Gonsalves said.

UltraTech Cement refused to comment on residents' complaints about pollution. "We have decided to shift the plant as there were frequent disruptions," said managing director OP Puranmalka.

Dilip Khedkar, MPCB regional officer (Navi Mumbai), said that after the closure notice, the company made several attempts to seek permission to restart the operations. "But we did not approve their request as they were not complying with MPCB norm," he said.

Locals in Marve Road and Rathodi village had long been complaining about the worsening air quality and the resulting respiratory problems. They wrote several letters to the local BMC ward office and the MPCB demanding closure of RMC plants, but to little avail.

In July, SOUL and the Watchdog Foundation took up the issue and residents staged protests outside the UltraTech plant and MPCB's office in Sion. They submitted a memorandum to authorities highlighting the extent of air pollution allegedly caused by the plant.

The unit generated high levels of respirable suspended particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ammonia, according to the memorandum. The MPCB then issued the closure notice. "After suffering for long, we can finally hope for cleaner air," said Stanley Fernandez of the Marve Road Residents' Association.

Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation said it was a victory for residents. "They had to keep their doors and windows closed at all times to keep the dust from the plant and the trucks out," he said.

Local chemist Vikas Chaudhury said most of his customers had respiratory diseases. "Many children suffer from bouts of cough and complain of a burning sensation in their eyes. Senior citizens are also among the worst affected. One elderly couple moved out of the area after the husband's asthma worsened," he said.

Dolphy D'souza, spokesperson of SOUL, said RMC plants in Malad had flouted environmental norms. "We are waiting for the government to approve a new policy and guidelines for RMC plants," said MPCB secretary P Anbalagan.