A blanket of mist enveloped the city on Wednesday as the air quality index (AQI)
further declined to 143 compared to 113 on Tuesday. Though still in the ‘moderate’
category, Mumbai’s AQI was worse than Delhi’s 122, as per the Indian Institute of
Tropical Meteorology-managed System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and
Research.
Central Railway (CR) services on the main line were delayed by 15 minutes due to the
smog cover reported between Vasind-Titwala and Karjat-Badlapur from 5.30am to
9am, said a spokesperson. Due to the scorching heat, some track maintenance work
was undertaken after morning peak hours for which 20-minute rail blocks were
conducted near Byculla, Sion, Vashi, Asangaon and Badlapur after 11.30am, the CR
spokesperson added. Environment heat causes tracks to expand which may lead to
change in rail geometry and even derailment, hence this work is undertaken.