Mumbai, India Air Quality & Smog

Dominant pollutants, when pollution and smog are worst, a notable historical episode, and the official monitoring agencies for Mumbai, India — plus how to check the current reading. Mumbai reports air quality on the National Air Quality Index — our full guide explains how that scale works and how it compares to the US AQI.

Dominant pollutants

PM2.5, PM10.

Seasonal pattern: when smog is worst

Coastal sea breezes usually keep Mumbai cleaner than the landlocked north, and the June–September monsoon scrubs the air almost completely. But winter (November–February) brings calmer conditions, and a construction boom plus vehicle growth have driven a marked deterioration in recent years — on some winter days Mumbai's AQI has rivalled Delhi's.

A notable air-quality episode

Through the winters of 2023 and 2024, Mumbai repeatedly recorded "Poor" to "Very Poor" AQI days, occasionally surpassing Delhi, prompting the municipal corporation to issue dust-control guidelines for construction sites.

The local index and who runs it

Mumbai reports air quality using the National Air Quality Index, not the US AQI — so the same air can read as a different number than you may be used to. The CPCB portal and SAFAR-Mumbai publish station-level readings across the metropolitan region.

• Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB)
• SAFAR-Mumbai
• CPCB

How to check air quality in Mumbai

For the official live reading, the agency portals above are the canonical source. To understand what the numbers mean, start with our guide to the National Air Quality Index and the broader comparison of world air-quality indices. Smog Report puts glanceable air quality on your iPhone — widgets, Live Activities, Siri, and Apple Watch — free and with no account.

Common questions about Mumbai air quality

Why does Mumbai have air-quality and smog problems?

Coastal sea breezes usually keep Mumbai cleaner than the landlocked north, and the June–September monsoon scrubs the air almost completely. But winter (November–February) brings calmer conditions, and a construction boom plus vehicle growth have driven a marked deterioration in recent years — on some winter days Mumbai's AQI has rivalled Delhi's.

What are the main air pollutants in Mumbai?

Mumbai's dominant pollutants are PM2.5, PM10. The reading on any given day is usually driven by whichever of these is highest.

Has Mumbai had a major air-quality or smog event?

Through the winters of 2023 and 2024, Mumbai repeatedly recorded "Poor" to "Very Poor" AQI days, occasionally surpassing Delhi, prompting the municipal corporation to issue dust-control guidelines for construction sites.

What air-quality index does Mumbai use?

Mumbai reports air quality on the National Air Quality Index (AQI), not the US AQI — so the same air can read as a different number than you may be used to. For live, glanceable readings on your iPhone, the free Smog Report app auto-selects the right local index for wherever you are.

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