Mumbai Air Quality Slips Back into ‘Severe’ Category as AQI Touches 235

Mumbai's air quality deteriorated sharply on Friday morning, with pollution levels slipping deeper into the "Severe" category. As per live monitoring data on AQI.in, the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 235, highlighting a fresh spike in harmful particulate matter concentrations.

The worsening air quality has renewed health concerns, particularly for vulnerable groups, even as several parts of the city continued to record alarmingly high PM2.5 and PM10 levels.Notably, Mumbai's AQI was reported to be 1.06 times higher than the Maharashtra state average, highlighting the city's intensified pollution burden compared to surrounding regions.

Severe Pollution Across Most Locations

A closer look at locality-wise data paints a worrying picture, with the majority of Mumbai's neighbourhoods reporting Severe or worse air quality. Areas such as Bandra, Bandra East, Bandra Kurla Complex, Colaba, Juhu, Chembur, Kurla, Worli, and Vile Parle West consistently recorded AQI values well above 220, indicating hazardous breathing conditions.

Some locations slipped into the "Hazardous" category, the most dangerous level on the AQI scale. Swastik Park emerged as one of the worst-affected areas with an AQI of 386, followed by Bs Ambedkar Nagar (344) and Wadala Truck Terminal Station 1 (306). In these zones, PM2.5 levels exceeded 240 µg/m³, posing an extreme health risk even with short-term exposure.

Industrial and high-traffic areas such as Sewri West, Shell Colony, Wadala East, Deonar, and Shivaji Nagar also recorded critically high pollution levels, largely attributed to vehicular emissions, port-related activity, and waste-processing operations. Meanwhile, residential pockets like Borivali East, Mulund West, and Kandivali East hovered between the Unhealthy and Severe categories, offering little respite to residents.

However, according to AQI.in data updated at 9:42 am on January 15, Mumbai's AQI stood at 186, categorising the air quality as "Unhealthy." This marked a slight improvement from Wednesday, when pollution levels had slipped into the Severe bracket with AQI readings crossing 210. Despite this marginal relief, experts caution that the air remains unsafe for prolonged outdoor exposure.

Weather Factors and Health Advisory

Weather conditions during the morning hours showed temperatures ranging between 22°C and 26°C, with humidity levels hovering around 60-70% in most areas. Such conditions often trap pollutants close to the surface, preventing dispersion and worsening air quality. In Chembur, temperatures spiked to nearly 35°C, further aggravating pollution concentration.

Health experts advise residents to limit outdoor activities, especially strenuous exercise, during peak pollution hours. People with asthma, heart disease, or other respiratory conditions are urged to wear masks and keep medications handy. Schools and offices have also been advised to monitor air quality updates closely.

Although Thursday morning showed a slight improvement compared to Wednesday's severe readings, Mumbai's air quality remains far from safe. With pollution levels oscillating between Unhealthy and Severe, sustained improvement will depend on favourable weather changes and stricter control of emission sources. Until then, residents are advised to remain cautious and follow health advisories closely.