Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to a cool and refreshing Friday morning, with clear skies, mild winter winds and relatively low humidity offering a brief respite from the city’s usual heat. However, the pleasant start was short-lived as a visible layer of smog gradually enveloped the skyline, reducing visibility and once again highlighting the city’s deepening air pollution crisis.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast a largely comfortable day for the financial capital, predicting bright conditions with temperatures ranging between 18°C and 33°C. While weather conditions remained favourable, air quality quickly emerged as the city’s primary concern.
AQI Improves Marginally Across City
Data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in showed Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 182 during the early hours of the day, placing it firmly in the ‘poor’ category. Although this marked a slight improvement from the hazardous levels recorded in late November and early December, the air remained unhealthy, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens and individuals suffering from respiratory or cardiac ailments.
Several large-scale infrastructure projects are currently underway across Mumbai, including metro rail corridors, flyovers, coastal road extensions and extensive road-widening works. In addition, aggressive private real estate development has added to dust emissions. Vehicular pollution during peak traffic hours has further aggravated air quality, particularly at busy intersections and arterial roads.
Wadala Hit With Worst Air Quality
Several locations across the city emerged as major pollution hotspots. The Wadala Truck Terminal reported a severe AQI of 362, indicating conditions that can seriously affect even healthy individuals. Charkop recorded an AQI of 260, while Colaba stood at 240, both falling in the ‘unhealthy’ category. Deonar registered an AQI of 217 and Chembur, a key commercial and residential area, recorded 213.
Suburban areas especially showed relatively better readings but remained far from safe. Kandivali East recorded an AQI of 75, while Parel-Bhoiwada and Andheri West logged 95 and 97 respectively, all within the ‘moderate’ range. However, areas such as Jogeshwari and Goregaon slipped into the ‘poor’ category with AQI readings of 113 each.
For perspective, AQI values between 0 and 50 are considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy and levels above 200 hazardous.
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