Mumbai Ranks Third Most Polluted City Globally At AQI 176 — Only Lahore, Delhi Are Worse

Mumbai’s air quality is again raising concerns, with the city ranking third among the world’s most polluted cities in a global snapshot. Delhi stands second, while Pakistan’s Lahore tops the list, putting two of India’s biggest cities under scrutiny as pollution remains a growing challenge for residents and civic authorities.

According to IQAir’s latest list, Lahore recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 291, followed by Delhi at 232 and Mumbai at 176. Jakarta ranked fourth at 173, while Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur recorded 169 each. Kolkata was seventh with an AQI of 166.

For Mumbai, the reading is a reminder that air quality can deteriorate even outside the severe pollution episodes commonly associated with Delhi. The city’s skyline has increasingly appeared hazy.

The concern is not limited to the citywide figure. Monitoring stations across Mumbai have reported varying levels of pollution, with some locations recording significantly higher readings than others.

On October 20, reports based on Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data put Mumbai’s overall AQI at 114. Among the monitoring stations, Navy Nagar in Colaba recorded 158, Bandra-Kurla Complex 156, Andheri East 145, Siddharth Nagar in Worli 143 and Malad 138.