Mumbai's air turns hazy, Byculla records city's worst AQI

India Jan 04, 2026

Mumbai woke up to some seriously poor air quality on Sunday, with the city's AQI dropping to 144.
Byculla topped the pollution charts at 194, while Malad West and Mazgaon weren't far behind.
The brief relief after New Year's rain didn't last—only Powai managed to keep its AQI below 100.

Haze lingers as pollution spreads across region

Slower winds have let pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10 build up, creating that stubborn haze over Mumbai.
The IMD says this foggy stretch could stick around until January 6, with a quick break before more haze rolls in by January 10.
It's not just Mumbai—Navi Mumbai is struggling too, especially spots like Sanpada and Nerul where AQI shot past 200, showing just how widespread the problem is right now.