Mumbai AQI Today: Air Quality in Severe Category, Wadala, Sion In Hazardous Levels

Mumbai's air quality stood at the severe category on Thursday morning as of 9:13 am. The city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 209 (US AQI), according to AQI.in.

However, Mumbai's AQI was recorded as 1.03 times lower than the state average of Maharashtra, indicating that poor air quality is a widespread issue beyond the city limits as well.

High Particulate Matter Levels Raise Alarm

The spike in pollution was primarily driven by elevated levels of PM2.5 and PM10, the most harmful airborne particles. On Thursday morning, PM2.5 concentrations stood at 130 µg/m³, while PM10 levels touched 156 µg/m³, both far exceeding safe limits prescribed by health authorities. These fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Several Areas Record Severe and Hazardous AQI

A closer look at area-wise data paints an even grimmer picture. Several key localities across Mumbai reported severe to hazardous air quality:

• Wadala Truck Terminal Station 1 recorded a hazardous AQI of 420, the highest in the city
• MHB Colony reported an AQI of 342 (Hazardous)
• Yagna Nagar also remained in the hazardous category at 310
• Dosti Acres (294), Sion Station 1 (292) and Vashi (284) reported extremely poor air quality

Major residential and commercial hubs such as Chembur (239), Deonar (226), Kurla (219), Colaba (203), Bandra (209) and Worli (208) were firmly in the severe category, indicating widespread pollution across both central and suburban Mumbai.

Even traditionally cleaner coastal areas failed to escape the impact. Colaba, Navy Nagar, and Mount Mary all recorded severe AQI readings, underscoring the citywide nature of the pollution episode.

Limited Relief in Few Pockets

Only a handful of locations showed comparatively better air quality. Gamdevi Station 1 reported a poor AQI of 105, while Green Hills (124) and Vidya Nagari (142) also remained in the poor category. However, no area recorded 'good' or 'moderate' air quality on Thursday morning.

Temperature across most locations hovered around 24-28°C, with humidity levels between 47% and 59%, conditions that can sometimes trap pollutants closer to the ground.

Worsening Trend Over the Week

The latest data indicates a worsening trend. On Tuesday, Mumbai's overall AQI stood at 176 at 10:18 am, falling under the 'unhealthy' category. The jump to 'severe' levels within two days highlights the rapidly deteriorating air conditions.

Environmental experts attribute the decline to a combination of factors, including vehicular emissions, construction dust, industrial activity, and reduced wind movement.