December 29, 2025: Mumbai has shown signs of improvement in air quality this December, recording two ‘green’ Air Quality Index (AQI) days on December 21 and 24, when AQI levels stood at 91 and 86, respectively—both falling under the ‘satisfactory’ category. For the remainder of the month, air quality largely remained in the ‘moderate’ range, with the city’s average AQI for December settling at 117. This marks a noticeable improvement compared to the same period last year, when Mumbai reported ‘moderate’ air quality throughout the month, with a significantly higher average AQI of 155.
On Sunday, the city recorded an AQI of 127, continuing within the ‘moderate’ bracket. Kandivli West was the only location to slip into the ‘poor’ category, registering an AQI of 221, with ozone identified as the dominant pollutant.
In response to ongoing concerns around construction-related pollution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) intensified its enforcement efforts. Following the issuance of notices to agencies handling the Bombay High Court construction project in Bandra East and the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train site for non-compliance with pollution control norms, civic officials conducted inspections across K East and H East wards, covering areas of Andheri and Bandra East.
The inspections were aimed at reviewing the on-ground implementation of preventive measures intended to safeguard air quality. In an official statement, the BMC said, “Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Avinash Dhakne inspected the sites of the bullet train project, Bombay High Court and government housing projects. He also inspected the service road at Kherwadi Junction and reviewed the cleanliness, dust control, and traffic management there.”
During the inspections, officials verified whether construction sites were regularly spraying water to suppress dust, using green nets to cover materials, ensuring covered transport of construction debris, and carrying out mechanical road cleaning. Special emphasis was placed on strict compliance in areas near schools and densely populated neighbourhoods, with clear instructions issued to concerned authorities to maintain adherence to prescribed norms.
Source: Mid-day
