Mumbai weather updates: Changing weather conditions, crackdown on construction activities helps improve AQI

BMC contractors in Borivli West spray water on a road where work is being carried out. Pic/Nimesh Dave

From the thick smog and low visibility that plagued the city since December 20, Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) has steadily improved from "poor" to "moderate" and "satisfactory" levels at most monitoring stations. Officials attribute the cleaner skies and better air to warmer weather, a change in wind patterns, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) crackdown on construction sites in areas that recorded consistently high AQI levels, especially in Byculla and Borivli.

The BMC recently imposed GRAP-4 norms in areas where the AQI was above 200, specifically in Borivli East, Byculla and Mumbai Central, halting all construction projects and mandating dust-mitigation strategies. The move came on the heels of data from December 28 and 29, when several areas, including Navy Nagar Colaba, Byculla, and Borivli East, registered AQI values above 270, indicating "poor" to "very poor" conditions. According to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, stricter measures were necessary to curb the worsening air quality, which he attributed to "climate change, vehicular emissions, and dust from construction sites".

In a meeting on December 30, Gagrani ordered a complete shutdown of construction activity in Borivli East for 24 hours, stating work would only resume once sites demonstrated full compliance with the Dust Mitigation Guidelines. On December 31, improvements in AQI readings were already apparent: the Borivli East - Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) AQI dipped to 97, and Byculla recorded 131. The data from January 1 and 2 showed further moderation in air quality, with Borivli East fluctuating between an AQI of 97 and 134, and several stations including Navy Nagar Colaba recording a "satisfactory" range.

Experts note that while the city's AQI had been impacted by northerly winds, colder than usual weather, and a dust storm originating in West Asia, along with warmer conditions recently, helped disperse pollutants. Combined with the forced reduction of dust from construction sites, Mumbai's air quality has returned to levels more typical for this time of year. The BMC plans to continue monitoring pollution hotspots and enforce necessary curbs to maintain these improved conditions, offering residents much-needed relief.