Mumbai Diwali fireworks foul night air, but peak noise is far below 2006 and average AQI improves

People set off fireworks in large numbers on November 8, on Diwali and Lakshmi Puja. Smoke spread across the city and the air quality worsened. Air pollution and noise both rose, and the health of many people was affected. The figures this year nonetheless show some relief.

Firecracker noise during Diwali has fallen considerably over the past two decades. In 2006, the highest firecracker noise level recorded during Diwali was 144.9 decibels. In 2026, the same level came down to 93.1 decibels. The drop in intensity is attributed to rising demand for green crackers and a preference for quieter ones such as sparklers and flowerpots.

Environment activists say court action, enforcement of noise rules and various awareness campaigns have helped bring firecracker noise under control to some extent. However, despite the fall, noise in residential areas is still above the permitted limit. Concern has been expressed over this, and it is being said that the rules need to be enforced more strictly.

On air quality, Mumbai's Diwali this year saw an improvement of about 30 per cent over last year. In 2025, the city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) was 188, in the poor category. In 2026 it fell to 132, recorded in the moderate category.

However, on Diwali night, the air was seen to worsen suddenly in several areas because of the fireworks. In Andheri, the PM2.5 level at 8 pm was 42, but within just two hours it rose to 597. In Malad, the PM2.5 level was recorded as high as 606, while in Chembur it reached 480 at 10 pm.

That night, a fire was reported in an under-construction Oberoi building on Lokhandwala Back Road in Andheri West, near Meghdoot B. According to preliminary information, a firecracker may have hit the green safety netting of the building and set off the fire. As the risk of fire is higher around buildings under construction, people were urged to be careful, keep a safe distance and take care while lighting firecrackers.

Overall, air quality in Mumbai improved on average during Diwali, but pollution from firecrackers spiked sharply at night. Awareness, along with effective and strict enforcement of the rules, has been called for to curb noise and air pollution.