Mumbai woke up to what initially appeared to be an ideal winter morning on Monday, with clear blue skies, cool temperatures and light winds offering brief relief from the city’s otherwise relentless humidity.
However, the pleasant start did not last long, as a thin layer of haze soon enveloped large parts of the city, reducing visibility and once again drawing attention to Mumbai’s worsening air quality.
Today's Weather Update
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted a bright and comfortable day, with minimum and maximum temperatures expected to hover between 20°C and 33°C. While weather conditions remained favourable, residents stepping out early were met with hazy surroundings and a faintly acrid smell in the air. Commuters, morning walkers and schoolchildren experienced reduced visibility across several areas, dampening what should have been a refreshing winter day.
Data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in showed that Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 181 in the early hours, placing the city in the ‘poor’ category. Although this marked a slight improvement compared to the severe pollution levels recorded towards the end of last month, the air remained unhealthy, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens and people suffering from respiratory conditions.
The persistent pollution is largely due to dust and fine particulate matter generated by extensive construction activity across the city. Multiple large-scale infrastructure projects, including metro rail corridors, flyovers, coastal road works and road-widening initiatives, along with ongoing private real estate development, continue to add majorly to Mumbai’s pollution burden.
Chembur Records Worst AQI
Several areas recorded alarmingly high AQI levels, emerging as major pollution hotspots. Chembur reported an AQI of 304, categorised as ‘severe’, posing serious health risks even to healthy individuals. The Wadala Truck Terminal and Chembur registered AQI levels of 253 and 237 respectively, both falling under the ‘unhealthy’ category. Deonar recorded an AQI of 227, while Govandi stood at 217.
In comparison, some suburban areas showed relatively better air quality, though conditions remained far from ideal. Kandivali East recorded an AQI of 63 and Parel-Bhoiwada 98, both falling in the ‘moderate’ category. However, areas such as Jogeshwari East recorded 110, while Charkop and Sion reported AQI levels of 117 and 160 respectively, slipping back into the ‘poor’ bracket.
As per standard classifications, AQI levels between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘moderate’, 101 to 150 ‘poor’, 151 to 200 ‘unhealthy’, and above 200 ‘hazardous’. With several parts of Mumbai nearing or crossing unhealthy thresholds, concerns are mounting over long-term health impacts if pollution levels remain unchecked.
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