Urban dust accounts for 44% of Mumbai's PM2.5 in October, CREA report says

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has released a nationwide report on air quality in October. CREA is an independent research organisation in India. The report details the sectors responsible for PM2.5 pollution in different states and major cities.

According to the report, 44 per cent of Mumbai's PM2.5 comes from urban dust, which includes dust from construction work and from unpaved roads. Industries and power plants account for 28 per cent. Traffic contributes 11 per cent and household activities 10 per cent. Other sources such as farming and waste burning contribute less than these.

The picture for Maharashtra differs from that of Mumbai. Industry and power generation are cited as the biggest sources of PM2.5 in the state. Fires, dust, household activities, farming and traffic also add to pollution. The Maharashtra figures are based on a 2025 IIT study, published in Environmental Research Letters, on the effect of transboundary emissions on PM2.5 levels in Indian cities.

According to the October report, released in November, 261 of the 267 Indian cities with sufficient data from continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) recorded PM2.5 levels above the WHO daily limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre. Six of the 10 most polluted cities are in Uttar Pradesh, which has emerged as a major hotspot.

Dr Manoj Kumar, an air quality analyst at CREA, said: "In October, air quality in Mumbai was satisfactory on most days, but PM2.5 went above the prescribed limit on three days. This means that PM2.5 levels in the city were higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Many people may say it is only three days, but it is important to remember that emissions affect respiratory health over both short and long periods."