Mumbai AQI today: Air quality turns unhealthy at 255, Wadala at hazardous 455

Mumbai AQI

Mumbaikars waking to crisp winter temperatures on Monday found the season’s charm brutally eclipsed by a thick, acrid smog that blanketed the city, transforming clear predicted skies into a hazy, unhealthy gloom.

Despite forecasts of fine weather from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Air Quality Index (AQI) soared into the ‘unhealthy’ zone, with several hotspots reaching hazardous levels.

According to data from AQI.in, the city’s overall AQI was recorded at 255, a significant deterioration from earlier seasonal levels. The pollution was not confined to industrial belts but seeped into prominent business and coastal districts.

Wadala Truck Terminal registered a severely hazardous reading of 455. Both the Bandra Kurla Complex business hub and the Worli seaface reported AQIs above 305, while longstanding industrial areas like Chembur (316) and Kurla (306) also suffered severely.

From elevated vantage points, the iconic skyline was rendered faded and distant, a visual testament to the dense concentration of pollutants. Residents across the city reported physical symptoms including burning eyes, throat irritation, headaches and nasal dryness — common effects of exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Analysis of the situation points squarely at Mumbai’s relentless construction boom as a primary driver of the dangerous air. Dust from massive public infrastructure projects — such as new metro lines, bridges and the coastal road — combined with dust from private real estate redevelopment, is creating a persistent plume of suspended particulate matter. This construction dust mingles with vehicular emissions, forming a toxic mix that the winter breezes fail to disperse.

The problem is widespread, affecting residential suburbs as well as commercial centres. Areas like Borivali East and Parel-Bhoiwada recorded AQIs of 187, while Charkop registered 140. Even localities like Jogeshwari East (113) and Govandi (133) found themselves in the ‘poor’ to ‘moderate’ range, indicating few pockets of respite.

With an AQI between 201-300 classified as ‘unhealthy’ and anything above 301 considered ‘hazardous’, the current pollution wave poses a significant public health threat.

The IMD’s prediction of pleasant temperatures between 19 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius now rings hollow for a city gasping for clean air. The smog has effectively turned the winter season, traditionally a time of relief from humidity and heat, into a period of heightened health risk.