Mumbai: Mumbai began Thursday on a relatively cool and crisp note, offering residents a brief glimpse of winter-like comfort. Clear skies, light winds and lower humidity made for a pleasant early morning. However, the relief was short-lived as a visible layer of smog soon settled over the city, reducing visibility and once again underscoring Mumbai’s worsening air pollution crisis.

Despite favourable weather conditions forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), air quality quickly emerged as the city’s biggest concern. The IMD had predicted a bright and comfortable day, with temperatures expected to hover between 17°C and 34°C. Yet, commuters, morning walkers and schoolchildren stepping out early were greeted by hazy surroundings and an acrid smell in the air, particularly in traffic-heavy corridors and low-lying areas.

According to data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in, Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 254 during the early hours, placing it in the ‘unhealthy’ category. After showing signs of improvement over the past few weeks, pollution levels have once again deteriorated. Such AQI levels pose health risks to all residents, with children, senior citizens and those suffering from respiratory or cardiac ailments being especially vulnerable.

The renewed spike in pollution is largely being attributed to construction dust and fine particulate matter. Massive government-led infrastructure projects, including metro rail corridors, flyovers, coastal road extensions and extensive road-widening works, continue across the city. These, coupled with aggressive private real estate development, are releasing large volumes of dust into the atmosphere. Vehicular emissions during peak traffic hours are further compounding the problem, especially at key junctions.

Several areas emerged as major pollution hotspots. The Wadala Truck Terminal recorded a worrying AQI of 407, categorised as ‘hazardous’, indicating conditions that can seriously impact even healthy individuals. Chembur and Colaba followed with AQI readings of 328 and 318, respectively, both falling in the ‘severe’ category. Sion registered an AQI of 317, while Worli, a prominent commercial and residential hub, recorded 308.

Suburban areas fared marginally better, though pollution remained widespread. Kandivali East logged an AQI of 107 and Goregaon East stood at 130, both categorised as ‘poor’. Other areas such as Parel-Bhoiwada (153), Borivali West (177) and Charkop (187) also slipped into the poor range, reflecting the citywide spread of pollution.

For context, AQI levels between 0–50 are considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy and anything above 200 hazardous. With large parts of Mumbai hovering at or above unhealthy levels, concerns are growing over the long-term health implications as winter progresses and pollution episodes become more frequent.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have been called but the political parties have not yet reached an electoral agreement. The Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayoti have started holding meetings regarding the electoral agreement, but despite this, no conclusion has been reached by all the parties, due to which the electoral agreement of the political parties in the BMC elections is still pending. The Uddhav Thackeray government fell in the Maharashtra Assembly in 2022 and now Uddhav Thackeray’s power has decreased and only 20 MLAs of Uddhav Thackeray have won, while Shinde Sena and BJP have maintained their power. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections have been announced and on January 15, the people will exercise their democratic right and the votes will be counted on the 16th and an announcement will be made on the same day. A round of meetings is underway between Shinde Sena and BJP regarding the electoral understanding and seat sharing, but so far they have not reached any conclusion. An understanding has not been reached between BJP and Shinde Sena regarding the Mahim, Parel, Dadar Byculla, and Kalabha areas because these areas contain a Marathi population along with Uttar Bharatiya. Both parties have claimed these areas. Due to organizational issues, Shinde Sena has claimed these areas and has said that due to organizational stability, these areas should be given to Shiv Sena. BJP voters have increased in the last election. BJP’s strength has increased here due to businessmen and Hindutva voters. Therefore, now the possibility of an electoral alliance at the local level is clear, while the alliance is still pending in Maha Vikas Aghadi because due to the alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, Congress and NCP have not yet taken any decision on the electoral alliance. In such a situation, if there is no electoral alliance in Maha Vikas Aghadi and Mahayoti in BMC, then this contest will be more interesting because in this election, two Shiv Sena, two NCP and other parties will try their luck and the number of candidates entering the electoral fray will also increase.

Thane: “Won the Lok Sabha, won the Assembly. Now, the goal is to achieve victory in all 29 municipal corporations and deliver development to the people. That is why the decision has been made to form a ‘Mahayuti’ (grand alliance) in all these municipal corporations, and the saffron flag of Mahayuti will fly here,” expressed Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde while speaking at a workers’ meeting in Thane on Tuesday. He also clarified that people should not believe the rumors being spread about seat allocation within the Mahayuti and that their honor will be maintained within the alliance.

A meeting of key officials was organized in Thane on Tuesday against the backdrop of the Thane Municipal Corporation elections. In this meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde guided the workers. He said that the municipal election program has been announced, the betel nut has been broken, the wedding rush has started. He said that the Shiv Sena is a ringing coin in the Thane elections which are being held after three years.

Thane is a stronghold of Shiv Sena. Nobody can, and nobody will be able to, take down the saffron flag of Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharamveer Anand Dighe Saheb here, he also said.

We made a miracle by contesting 80 seats in the assembly elections and winning 60 seats. We have the bow and arrow symbol. The opposition’s cart has been overturned in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, now we will make them bite the dust in the municipal elections as well, he indirectly taunted Uddhav Thackeray. He expressed confidence that the saffron flag of the Mahayuti (grand alliance) will flutter triumphantly in the upcoming elections in January.

Workers/activists are my tonic. They are my energy and inspiration, said Shinde, sharing his experience of the Nagpur tour. He said in emotional words that when thousands of Shiv Sainiks meet, his health also improves. Leaders come and go, positions come and go; but the worker is the true foundation of the party, he said.

While reviewing the work done for the development of Thane and Maharashtra during his tenure as Chief Minister and even after that, Shinde mentioned Samruddhi Mahamarg, Coastal Road, Atal Setu, metro projects, city parks, and major infrastructure projects. He expressed confidence that the traffic congestion in Thane will soon become a thing of the past.

Shinde appealed to people to show organizational strength by implementing the program in a single phase for the municipal elections. Let’s resolve to maintain the glory of Hindutva and the victory of Mahayuti. The saffron flag of Mahayuti must be hoisted again on the Thane Municipal Corporation. Projects have been done, schemes have been implemented, and their success has been proven before the people. He also said that with the blessings of Dharmveer Anand Dighe, victory in Thane is certain again.