Mumbai skyline disappears into the haze as rain retreats; AQI crosses 100

With rain activity losing momentum, Mumbai’s air quality deteriorated on Friday, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 100 for the first time this post-monsoon season as a haze settled over the skyline. The overall AQI stood at 111 by Friday afternoon, with 10 of the 20 active monitoring stations recording ‘moderate’ air quality, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Worli recorded the highest AQI at 178, followed by Colaba at 143, Deonar at 141 and Mazgaon at 138. PM2.5 and PM10 were among the prominent pollutants recorded at the stations. The deterioration comes after four months of relatively satisfactory air quality, with the AQI generally remaining below 100 between June and September.

Frequent spells of rain helped wash out dust and suspended pollutants. With rainfall now weakening, experts said changes in wind patterns and drier conditions were also contributing to the rise in pollution. Experts told The Indian Express that the spike was not due to insufficient rainfall alone.

Clockwise winds from the landward direction were also bringing dry air and dust from the north, they said. The deterioration has prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to issue fresh standard operating procedures (SOPs) for tackling pollution at the ward level.