Mumbai: At 281, AQI noses towards extreme end of 'poor' range

MUMBAI: Despite high temperatures, the city recorded a maximum air quality index (AQI) of 281 on Monday morning - the worst since January 2019. This score is considered 'poor' for air quality. The forecast says it will deteriorate further to 283.
On Sunday, the AQI was 175 and it shot up to 279 early Monday morning. It rose to 281 during the day, eventually dropping to 270.
Track the pollution level in your city
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), an AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor'.
Among 10 locations monitored, the least polluted was Bhandup with an AQI of 148, while the most polluted was Navi Mumbaiat 347 followed by Bandra-Kurla Complex at 322. Five places recorded an AQI in 'very poor' category.
An analysis of last year's air quality has found that on days when pollution levels crossed the 300-mark last year, it was only in January.
"The winds are very calm winds so local emissions are getting accumulated, resulting in higher pollution levels...," said Gufran Beig, project director, Safar.