Mumbai records its worst air quality of the past eight months

On Thursday, five of 10 locations —Malad (311), Bandra-Kurla Complex (308), Mazgaon (314), Colaba (303), and Chembur (303) — all recorded very poor AQI.

The city recorded its worst air quality over the past eight months on Thursday after a sharp spike in pollution levels was witnessed over the past two days. According to the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality index (AQI) went from 157 (moderate) on Tuesday to 180 on Wednesday morning, then 201 (poor) on Wednesday evening, and 252 (poor) on Thursday morning, which fell to 242 (poor) by the evening, making it the worst AQI so far this season and worst since March 17 when 272 (poor) was recorded. Prior to Thursday, the worst AQI was recorded on November 10 at 221 (poor).

On Thursday, five of 10 locations —Malad (311), Bandra Kurla Complex (308), Mazgaon (314), Colaba (303), and Chembur (303) — all recorded very poor AQI.

AQI levels are categorised from 0-50 as good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and above 401 is severe.

SAFAR had predicted AQI to worsen after a change in wind direction. “The northerly to north-easterly wind component has increased pollutant accumulation over the city, making the air heavy. This is being reflected through a thin layer of haze. Calm winds are further reducing fast dispersion of pollutants suspended close to the surface,” said Gufran Beig, project director, SAFAR, adding that poor air quality could continue for the next three days. SAFAR predicted an AQI of 235 (poor) for Friday.

The concentration of PM2.5 increased from 91 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) on Wednesday to 103 µg/m3, against the safe limit of 60 µg/m3, while PM10 levels were 195 µg/m3, against the safe limit of 100 µg/m3, almost twice the safe limit.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily air quality bulletin, Mumbai recorded an AQI of 221 (poor) — from the average calculated from 15 air monitoring stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) — on Thursday, with prominent pollutant being PM2.5 (small pollutant particles that can easily enter the lungs and cause health ailments).

Meanwhile, the maximum and minimum temperature at the Santacruz weather observatory, representative of the suburbs and Mumbai, was 34.8 and 20.8 degrees Celsius, both a degree Celsius above normal. Colaba weather station, representative of south Mumbai, recorded the maximum temperature at 32.6 degrees Celsius, a degree Celsius below normal, while the minimum temperature was at the normal mark at 22 degrees Celsius.