Mumbai AQI falls in moderate category

As many as 15 stations recorded ‘moderate’ air quality while the remaining fell in the satisfactory category

MUMBAI: The city’s air quality deteriorated on Saturday, recording a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 122, compared to 99 on Friday, as low wind speeds and temperature inversion continued to trap pollutants close to the surface, with more than half the locations of the 23 active monitoring stations across the city experiencing unhealthy air. The primary pollutant was PM10 (particulate matter of size less than 10/ugm3).

Mumbai AQI falls in moderate category

As many as 15 stations recorded ‘moderate’ air quality while the remaining fell in the satisfactory category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between 1-50 is classified as good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is severe.

Of the 23 air quality monitoring stations, Malad West registered the poorest AQI in the moderate category at 163 followed by BKC (162) and Worli (161). Borivali East and Mulund West recorded logged a satisfactory AQI level of 79.

A senior BMC official attributed the deterioration to meteorological conditions, particularly low wind speeds and temperature inversion, which prevent pollutants from dispersing. “As a result, pollutants remain trapped in the atmosphere, affecting air quality,” he said. “We are making efforts to ensure that the AQI remains within 100.”

Meanwhile, temperatures across Mumbai remained above normal, but a significant departure from earlier in the week when the maximum temperature crossed 38 degrees Celsius and there was a heatwave on two days.

The Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2°C, one degree above normal, while Santacruz recorded 35.2°C, 1.5 degrees above normal. The minimum temperatures were 26.5°C and 26°C, respectively or 1.1°C and 1.7°C above normal.