Mumbai Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

Maharashtra, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5

Mumbai AQI Right Now

120

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 41.94 µg/m³

PM10: 128.23 µg/m³

Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.

Mumbai Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.541.94 µg/m³
PM10128.23 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)16.07 µg/m³
NO₂15.42 µg/m³
SO₂4.2 µg/m³
CO235.37 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Mumbai

Moderate: Breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.

Health Impact — Mumbai

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.9 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.21 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Mumbai

  • General Population: People with respiratory or heart conditions should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
  • Elderly: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities.
  • Children: Reduce prolonged outdoor play.
  • Lung Disease Patients: Avoid prolonged outdoor exertion.

Understanding Mumbai Air Quality

Mumbai, India's most populous metropolitan area, occupies a narrow peninsular land mass along the Arabian Sea coast. While sea breezes provide better natural ventilation than landlocked cities, the city's unique north-south geography concentrates millions of commuters on a few arterial corridors - the Western Express Highway, Eastern Express Highway, and suburban rail network - creating intense localised pollution hotspots.

Winter months (November–February) see the worst air quality, with PM2.5 often reaching 100–180 µg/m³ as calm wind conditions and cooler temperatures reduce atmospheric mixing. The city's massive construction industry - with hundreds of skyscraper and infrastructure projects active simultaneously - generates enormous quantities of PM10. Landfill fires at Deonar (Asia's oldest and largest dumping ground) and Mulund periodically send toxic plumes across the eastern suburbs, causing acute PM2.5 spikes exceeding 300 µg/m³.

The western monsoon (June–September) brings dramatic relief, with heavy rainfall almost completely clearing airborne particulates. Post-monsoon months (October–November) see a gradual buildup as construction resumes and festival-related emissions (Diwali fireworks, bonfires) add to the load. Mumbai's industrial pollution from the Thane-Belapur corridor, ship emissions at Nhava Sheva port, and the ongoing Coastal Road and Metro construction projects make PM10 a year-round concern. MPCB has pushed dust control at construction sites and a shift to electric buses, but the city's 30+ million daily commuters remain the dominant emission source.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Construction dust
  • Industrial emissions (Thane-Belapur belt)
  • Port and shipping emissions
  • Road dust
  • Refuse burning (landfills at Deonar, Mulund)

Geography: Coastal peninsula on the Arabian Sea; sea breeze provides partial ventilation but narrow north-south geography funnels traffic emissions

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Mumbai

Is Mumbai air quality better than Delhi?

Yes, substantially. Mumbai's annual average PM2.5 is typically 40–60 µg/m³ compared to Delhi's 100+ µg/m³, thanks to its coastal location and sea breeze ventilation. However, Mumbai's air quality is still 8–12Ã- above WHO guidelines, and localised hotspots near Deonar landfill or construction zones can rival Delhi's worst readings.

What causes air pollution in Mumbai?

Mumbai's pollution comes from vehicular exhaust (30+ million daily commuters), massive construction activity (metro, coastal road, skyscraper projects), industrial emissions from the Thane-Belapur belt, port and shipping emissions, landfill fires at Deonar and Mulund, and road dust. The narrow peninsular geography funnels traffic emissions along a few corridors.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities