Mumbai Could Become India's Most Polluted Urban City As Air Quality Becomes 'Poor'

India's financial capital is on track to becoming the most polluted urbanised city in the country in the coming weeks, as relentless construction activities continue to effect air quality, according to environmentalist Stalin D.

Mumbai has seen an increase in air pollution since the recent rain has stopped, as dust in the air has risen with construction activities and excavation for building basements and metro projects going on, Stalin said.

The city's Air Quality Index was at 104 on Oct. 2, implying 'poor' condition. While Hapur city in Uttar Pradesh had the worst air quality, with its AQI at 164, Kulu in Himachal Pradesh had the best AQI at 17.

There are no safeguards and all the norms have been bypassed, the environmentalist said. "To make things worse, the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp.) has cut down the lower branches of all the trees so there is absolutely no foliage left in our breathing space."

By November, the pollution might jump to high levels and the most affected will be the children and the elderly, he said. "They need to watch out and restrict their outdoor activities."

Mumbai will become India's most polluted urbanised city in the coming weeks. "November-December is going to be terrible, we better be prepared for this and take adequate precautions."