Mumbai rises to fog and haze on Sunday morning, AQI touches 179

MUMBAI: Mumbai woke up to a foggy and hazy morning on Sunday, with a thick layer of mist enveloping the city. Mumbai recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 179, as of 9.00 am according to SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research).

An Air Quality Index of 179 is considered to be in the 'moderate zone.' However, people with lung, asthma, and heart diseases may experience breathing discomfort.

The AQI for Chembur was recorded at 55, WTP Bhandup Complex at 114, IMD Colada at 200, Fire Station Malad at 276, Bapista Garden Mazagaon at 176, BMC Shastri Garden Worli at 250, Bandra Kurla Complex at 180, Byculla at 152, Kandivali East at 125, Mulund West at 135, Sion at 125, Sanapada in Navi Mumbai at 135, as per SAFAR.

Visuals from Marine Drive in Mumbai show people out for morning walks amidst a dense layer of fog.

While some people engaged in their routine morning walks, others could be seen jogging and exercising. Fog and mist enveloped parts of the city, sharply reducing visibility to less than 500 metres in some areas. High-rise buildings and skyscrapers seemed to camouflage in the fog and mist.

Meanwhile, the national capital also woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Sunday morning, with air quality levels plunging to severe levels, leaving residents grappling with poor visibility and health risks. The dense haze, caused by a mix of local pollution and the seasonal crop burning in neighbouring states, choked the city's skies, triggering widespread concerns over Delhi's ongoing battle with air pollution.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) at 428 as of 8 am, placing it in the 'severe' category. The residents of Delhi continue to raise alarms as air quality levels in many areas remain in the "severe" category in multiple areas.