Mumbai: Mumbai woke up on Tuesday to what initially appeared to be a crisp winter morning, with clear blue skies, mild winds and a noticeable chill in the air. However, the pleasant conditions were short-lived as a dense blanket of smog soon enveloped the city, reducing visibility and once again showing Mumbai’s worsening air pollution crisis.
Today's Weather Update
Despite favourable weather conditions forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), air quality emerged as the city’s primary concern. The IMD predicted a bright and comfortable day, with temperatures ranging between 18°C and 32°C. Yet, early morning commuters, walkers and schoolchildren encountered hazy conditions and an acrid smell in several parts of the city, particularly in low-lying and traffic-heavy areas.
According to data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in, Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 283 during the early hours, placing it firmly in the ‘unhealthy’ category. While this marked a marginal improvement from the ‘severe’ pollution levels recorded late last month, experts cautioned that the air remained unsafe, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens, and people with respiratory or cardiac ailments.
The persistent pollution primarily due to dust and fine particulate matter generated by the city’s relentless construction activity. Ongoing large-scale infrastructure projects, including metro rail corridors, flyovers, coastal road extensions and road-widening works, coupled with extensive private real estate development, continue to release significant amounts of pollutants. Vehicular emissions during peak traffic hours further aggravate the situation.
Several Areas Record Severe AQI
Several areas emerged as pollution hotspots across the city. The Wadala Truck Terminal recorded an alarming AQI of 363, falling in the ‘severe’ category and posing serious health risks even to healthy individuals. Chembur and Jogeshwari West followed with AQI levels of 334 and 322 respectively, while Kurla reported 318. The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), one of Mumbai’s busiest commercial districts, recorded an AQI of 315, also in the ‘severe’ range.
Suburban areas fared relatively better but were not spared entirely. Kandivali East recorded an AQI of 157, while Jogeshwari East stood at 187, both categorised as ‘poor’. Borivali East (203), Borivali West (207) and Mulund West (207) also slipped into the ‘poor’ category, reflecting the widespread nature of air pollution across the city.
As per standard air quality classifications, AQI levels between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘moderate’, 101 to 200 ‘poor’, 201 to 300 ‘unhealthy’, and levels above 300 fall under the ‘severe’ or ‘hazardous’ category.
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