Mumbai Records Higher Pollution Levels Than Delhi; Maharashtrian Capital’s Air Quality Deteriorates to ‘Poor’

As of Wednesday morning, Mumbai’s overall AQI stands at 215, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). This marks a notable spike from Tuesday, when the city enjoyed ‘moderate’ air quality with an AQI of 161.

For context, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good"; 51 to 100 is "satisfactory", 101 to 200 "moderate", 201 to 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor" and 401 to 500 "severe".

Interestingly, Mumbai’s air quality today is comparatively worse than Delhi’s — the landlocked capital is infamous for its unbearable pollution, especially during the winter months. Delhi’s overall AQI currently lies at a ‘moderate’ 193, but is expected to become ‘poor’ by tomorrow.

Mumbai’s pollution levels have a tendency to rise during the winter months, as a fall in temperatures and wind speeds during this season keeps the pollutants stagnant by preventing them from dispersing. And the drop in temperatures has been notable of late; on Monday night, the metropolis shivered at 17°C — the lowest November temperature it has recorded since 2017!

Furthermore, anthropogenic factors like worsening traffic conditions and increasing dust caused by construction activities (including that of the Mumbai metro) have added to the pollution problem this year. Preventive measures such as the usage of sprinklers at construction sites aren’t being followed as well, while trees, which serve as natural air purifiers, continue to get cut at a rapid rate.

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