While Delhi AQI Remains in Poor, Mumbai Is Worse; Citizens Blame Construction Activity, Rising Vehicular Density

Mumbai’s air quality has been worse than Delhi for two consecutive days. On Friday, Mumbai air quality index (AQI) stood at 309 while Delhi’s was 249. Similarly, on Thursday,  Mumbai’s overall AQI was 308 compared to Delhi’s 262. All figures were according to System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Delhi, however, plunged to ‘very poor’ category with AQI at 316 on Saturday.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that owing to the rising vehicular dust, citizens have requested the civic body to go back to its old method of washing roads.

On Delhi’s front, air quality in the Delhi-NCR region continues to remain unhealthy. Delhi’s air quality in ‘Very Poor’ category with AQI at 316, Gurugram’s (Haryana) air quality in ‘Poor’ category with AQI at 293 and Noida’s (UP) air quality in ‘Severe’ category with AQI at 478 on Saturday morning.

Due to the sudden rise in pollution, Mumbai residents were advised to stay indoors and avoid long walks, according to a central government website that charts air quality in cities.

Several infrastructure projects and emissions from nearby refineries were the possible reasons, said a government official who did not want to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

“It is going to get worse in Mumbai because there are no restrictions on construction activity. The roads are all dug up because of the metro and vehicular traffic is crawling, leading to more pollution,” environmentalist Debi Goenka told Reuters.

India’s capital New Delhi and its suburbs endure poor air every winter as colder, heavier air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from the burning of crop stubble in the nearby states of Punjab and Haryana.