Mumbai’s AQI drops to ‘poor’, two days after staying in ‘moderate’ category

Andheri recorded the worst AQI of 315, followed by 313 in Chembur, 305 in Malad, 225 in Bandra Kurla Complex and Bhandup, 200 in Mazagaon and 197 in Colaba.

Out of the nine AQI monitoring stations installed by SAFAR in Mumbai, seven stations showed ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ readings. (Express File)

Even in the middle of February, Mumbai continues to record ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ Air-Quality Index (AQI). After recording ‘poor’ AQI for two weeks, the city’s overall AQI improved to ‘moderate’ earlier this week. However, it dipped again to ‘poor’ category on Thursday.

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Weather experts had predicted that through February and March, Mumbai would experience ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ AQI intermittently. “In this period, frequent dust storms occur in the Thar desert and gulf area, which also also affect Mumbai’s AQI. Similar phenomenon was seen in 2021 and 2022, but the frequency was greater last year as compared with 2021,” Gufran Beig, senior scientist and project director of SAFARsaid on Thursday.

Meanwhile, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Mumbai’s overall AQI on Thursday was a ‘poor’ 228, while Delhi’s AQI on Thursday morning clocked a ‘moderate’ 134. Of the nine AQI monitoring stations installed by SAFAR in Mumbai, seven showed ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ readings. Andheri recorded the worst AQI at 315, followed by 313 in Chembur, 305 in Malad, 225 in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Bhandup, 200 in Mazagaon and 197 in Colaba. Both Worli and Borivali showed ‘moderate’ 120 and 149.

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“The poor and very poor AQI can be directly attributed to the wind speed in Mumbai which hasn’t improved. Additional factors like construction, debris lifting and industrial and vehicular emission also play a key role,” Beig told The Indian Express. Beig said Mumbai was currently experiencing a wind reversal pattern after a period of 15 days, which usually happens 5-7 days earlier every year.

“Since Mumbai is a coastal city, sea breeze greatly determines air pollution levels. The period of wind reversal has increased before winter 2022, so the city is experiencing a slow breeze most days, which is unable to blow away suspended particulate matters,” he said.

Pratip Acharya

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

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