The city witnessed a notable improvement in air quality as unseasonal showers on Tuesday led to a drop in the overall Air Quality Index (AQI), reaching 85 on Wednesday. Several parts of Mumbai, particularly the suburbs, experienced brief spells of rain, contributing to the decline in AQI levels across the region.
On Wednesday, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s 25 AQI stations reported levels below 100, signifying better air quality. The lowest AQI was recorded in Mulund at 60, followed closely by Kandivli at 61, and Colaba at 62. In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Vasai recorded the lowest AQI at 55.
The AQI is determined by the concentration of carcinogenic particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air. Levels below 50 are considered ‘good’, 50-99 as ‘satisfactory’, 100-199 as ‘moderate’, above 200 as ‘poor’, above 300 as ‘very poor’, above 400 as ‘severe’, and above 500 as ‘very severe’.
BMC Chief I S Chahal expressed optimism about the drop in AQI, considering it a positive development for the city. In October 2023, when AQI levels surpassed 300, the BMC took several measures to control dust pollution, releasing 27 guidelines for compliance within 30 days at various worksites, including government projects.
The weather stations in Colaba and Santacruz reported daytime temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and 31.9 degrees Celsius, respectively, with minimum temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius and 22.3 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that on Thursday, maximum and minimum temperatures will hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 22 degrees Celsius, respectively.