Mumbai: Large parts of Mumbai were engulfed in smog on Friday morning, as warmer temperatures and cloudy conditions coincided with a sharp decline in visibility across the city, affecting early morning commuters
across multiple areas.
According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city is likely to witness a partly cloudy sky towards the afternoon or evening, with temperatures ranging between 21°C and 31°C. The temperature range is slightly higher than what Mumbai has experienced over the past week, indicating a gradual seasonal shift.
AQI Slips Into ‘Severe’ Category
As per data from AQI.in, Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 304 on Friday morning, placing it in the ‘Severe’ category. This marks a steep rise from an AQI reading of 160 (‘Poor’) recorded at 6.01 am the previous day. Such a sharp escalation within a short span has raised concern over outdoor exposure.
Citizens, particularly children, senior citizens, and those with respiratory or heart-related conditions, were advised to avoid staying outdoors for prolonged periods.
Four Locations Record ‘Hazardous’ Air Quality
Several areas across the city reported AQI levels categorised as ‘Hazardous’, pointing to extremely poor air quality conditions. Sion Station 2 recorded the highest AQI at 544, placing it firmly in the hazardous bracket. Wadala Truck Terminal Station 1 followed with an AQI of 488, while Wadala Truck Terminal and Sion Station 1 recorded AQI readings of 459 and 446, respectively. Mumbai has not witnessed such elevated AQI readings across multiple locations in a long time.
Dust and fine particulate matter generated by ongoing construction activity across the city remain a key contributor to the rising pollution levels. Large-scale infrastructure projects alongside private real estate development have significantly increased dust levels. Vehicular emissions have further added to the pollution load.
In contrast, limited pockets reported significantly better air quality. Gamdevi Station 1 recorded an AQI of 23, categorised as ‘Good’. Parsee Colony, Hanuman Nagar, Thakur Village and Dhakoji Sethpada recorded AQI readings of 78 (Moderate), 160 (Poor), 173 (Poor) and 193 (Poor) respectively.
With multiple locations slipping into the hazardous category, air quality conditions across large parts of Mumbai remain a matter of immediate concern.
As per standard air quality classifications, AQI values between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘moderate’, 101 to 200 ‘poor’, 201 to 300 ‘unhealthy’ and levels above 300 are classified as ‘severe’ or ‘hazardous’.
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