Bhusawal Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

Maharashtra, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5

Bhusawal AQI Right Now

109

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 58.4 µg/m³

PM10: 112.66 µg/m³

Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.

Bhusawal Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.558.4 µg/m³
PM10112.66 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)38.81 µg/m³
NO₂11.57 µg/m³
SO₂1.63 µg/m³
CO572.56 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Bhusawal

Moderate: Breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.

Health Impact — Bhusawal

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 2.7 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.31 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Bhusawal

  • General Population: People with respiratory or heart conditions should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
  • Elderly: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities.
  • Children: Reduce prolonged outdoor play.
  • Lung Disease Patients: Avoid prolonged outdoor exertion.

Understanding Bhusawal Air Quality

Bhusawal, a major railway junction on the banks of the Tapi River in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, occupies a unique niche in India's industrial landscape - its economy revolves around the locomotive workshop, a thermal power station, and the banana trade. The Central Railway workshop, one of the oldest in India, services diesel and electric locomotives, releasing metallic particulate matter, welding fumes, and oil-mist emissions that affect nearby residential colonies. The Deepnagar Thermal Power Station, located just outside the city, adds sulphur dioxide and fly ash to the baseline airshed, particularly during peak electricity demand in summer and winter.

Winter months (November–February) bring the worst air quality as temperature inversions over the Tapi River valley trap emissions from the power station, railway workshop, and increasing vehicular traffic on the Pune–Nagpur NH-6 corridor. PM2.5 concentrations during this period can reach 80–120 µg/m³, while PM10 levels are boosted by road dust on the many unpaved approach roads to banana wholesale markets. Bhusawal is one of India's largest banana trading hubs - Jalgaon district produces over 60% of Maharashtra's banana crop - and the loading, unloading, and processing activities generate organic dust in market areas.

The southwest monsoon (June–September) provides significant relief. The Tapi River swells, atmospheric moisture rises, and rainfall washes particulates from the air, bringing AQI readings down to the Good–Satisfactory range. Post-monsoon (October) sees a brief clean window before winter inversions set in again. Bhusawal's small-town infrastructure - limited public transport, narrow roads, and growing vehicle numbers - suggests air quality challenges will intensify without deliberate emission controls.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Railway workshop emissions
  • Thermal power plant emissions
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Banana processing dust
  • Construction dust

Geography: Tapi River bank in Jalgaon district; major railway junction, thermal power station, banana trading hub

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Bhusawal

How does the thermal power station affect Bhusawal's air quality?

The Deepnagar Thermal Power Station near Bhusawal emits SO2 and fly ash from coal combustion, contributing to elevated PM10 and PM2.5 levels, especially during winter inversions when emissions are trapped in the Tapi River valley. Residents in downwind colonies report visible ash deposition during peak generation periods.

What role does the railway workshop play in Bhusawal's pollution?

The Central Railway locomotive workshop emits metallic particulate matter from welding, grinding, and painting operations, along with oil mist and diesel exhaust from engine testing. These emissions primarily affect nearby residential areas and contribute to localised PM2.5 and VOC levels.

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