Mumbai: Low temperatures were recorded under a sunny sky in the morning on Wednesday, 21st January 2026 in Mumbai Yet, this did not last long as a heavy layer of smog soon covered different parts of the city,
which reduced visibility for those commuting in the morning. This further raises concerns about the overall air quality of the city and its impact on the people’s health.
According to data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the city will see clear skies today, with temperatures ranging from 19°C to 31°C, which is almost similar to the previous day. Despite the IMD predicting clear skies, heavy smog engulfed the city.
Raising AQI Levels
As per data from AQI.in, the city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) is 303, which is a huge jump from 224 on the previous day. A huge jump like this can be harmful to people, especially for children, senior citizens and people suffering from respiratory or heart-related ailments. Citizens were advised to avoid staying outdoors for a prolonged period of time.
Reasons for poor air quality
Dust and fine particulate matter from ongoing construction work in various parts of the city are the main contributing factors to the high AQI levels. Ongoing infrastructure development projects such as metro lines, flyovers, road works and coastal road construction, along with private real estate development, have significantly increased dust in the air. Another contributing factor is the emissions from vehicles.
Worsening AQI in Shell Colony & Wadala East
The AQI levels of certain parts of the city are nearly reaching the 400 mark, with Shell Colony reporting an AQI of 398 and Wadala East recording 395. Sewri West, Yagna Nagar and Chembur are not far behind with 368, 359 and 355, respectively.
Some regions show a better AQI, with Vidya Nagar at 60 (moderate), Gamdevi Station 1 at 123 (poor) and Thakur village at 170 (poor). Khindipada Bhandup West and Louis Wadi recorded an ‘unhealthy’ AQI of 237 and 240 respectively.
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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