Mumbai Grapples with Heavy Smog: Air Quality Deteriorates to Unhealthy Levels

Mumbai residents woke up to blue skies and gentle winds on Thursday morning, but a thick layer of smog across several parts of the city reduced visibility and once again highlighted the growing air pollution problem. Residents took to X to share visuals showing dense haze covering the skyline and affecting visibility in multiple areas.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city is expected to witness hot and humid weather conditions, with minimum temperatures around 23°C and maximum temperatures likely to reach about 34°C. While Mumbai has already been experiencing heatwave-like conditions in recent days, the deteriorating air quality has added to the discomfort for residents.

Data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in showed that Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 299 in the early hours of Thursday, placing the city’s air quality in the ‘unhealthy’ category. The spike in pollution levels is notable as the city had recorded relatively improved air quality just a few days ago, offering temporary relief.

The worsening conditions are mainly due to dust and fine particulate matter in the air. Ongoing construction activity across the city is considered one of the major contributors. Large-scale infrastructure projects such as metro rail corridors, flyovers, the coastal road project, road widening works, and several private real estate developments continue to release substantial dust into the atmosphere.

Several areas emerged as major pollution hotspots. Kanjurmarg East recorded an AQI of 392, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. Vikhroli and Sion followed with AQI levels of 388 and 381, respectively. Ghatkopar reported an AQI of 368, while Powai recorded 364, both indicating unhealthy air conditions.

Some localities recorded comparatively better readings, though the air quality still remained far from ideal. Gamdevi registered an AQI of 107, while Santacruz West recorded 143, both falling under the ‘poor’ category. Meanwhile, Kandivali West reported 217, Malad 227 and Worli 240, indicating unhealthy air quality across several residential pockets.

As per standard AQI classifications, values between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘moderate’, 101 to 200 ‘poor’, 201 to 300 ‘unhealthy’, while readings above 300 fall under ‘severe’ or ‘hazardous’ categories.