Mumbai: Mumbai woke up on Tuesday to what initially appeared to be a textbook winter morning, marked by clear blue skies, mild winds and a sharp chill in the air. However, the pleasant conditions were short-lived as a dense layer of smog soon settled over the city, reducing visibility and once again highlighting Mumbai’s worsening air pollution crisis.
Despite favourable weather conditions, air quality emerged as the city’s biggest concern. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the day was expected to remain bright and comfortable, with temperatures ranging between 18°C and 34°C. Yet, early morning commuters, walkers and schoolchildren encountered hazy surroundings and an acrid smell, particularly in low-lying and traffic-heavy zones.
Mumbai's Overall AQI Remains Poor
Data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in showed Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 163 during the early hours, placing it firmly in the ‘poor’ category. While this marks a slight improvement from the severe pollution levels recorded late last month, experts warn that the air remains unhealthy, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens and those with respiratory or cardiac conditions.
The persistent pollution has largely been attributed to dust and fine particulate matter generated by the city’s continuous construction activity. Massive government-led infrastructure projects, including metro rail corridors, flyovers, coastal road extensions and extensive road-widening works, combined with a surge in private real estate development, continue to release pollutants into the atmosphere. Vehicular emissions during peak hours further compound the problem.
Wadala Continues To Report Worst Air Quality
Several locations emerged as pollution hotspots. The Wadala Truck Terminal recorded a worrying AQI of 335, categorised as ‘severe’, posing serious health risks even to healthy individuals. Chembur and Powai followed with AQI levels of 263 and 210 respectively, both falling in the ‘unhealthy’ range. Deonar reported an AQI of 203, while the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, registered a poor reading of 190.
Suburban areas fared relatively better but were not entirely spared. Charkop recorded an AQI of 85, while Parel-Bhoiwada stood at 82, both classified as ‘moderate’. However, Mulund West (110), Borivali West (123) and Kandivali East (127) slipped back into the ‘poor’ category, reflecting the widespread nature of the pollution.
For context, AQI levels between 0–50 are considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy and anything above 200 hazardous. With large parts of Mumbai hovering close to or exceeding unhealthy thresholds, concerns continue to mount over the long-term health implications as winter progresses.
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