Bilaspur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Bilaspur AQI Right Now

110

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 56.72 µg/m³

PM10: 113.57 µg/m³

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

Bilaspur Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.556.72 µg/m³
PM10113.57 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)15.87 µg/m³
NO₂18.5 µg/m³
SO₂11.98 µg/m³
CO986.7 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Bilaspur

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

Health Impact — Bilaspur

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 2.6 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.3 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Bilaspur

  • 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 Bilaspur Air Quality

Bilaspur, the headquarters of the South East Central Railway (SECR) and one of Chhattisgarh's most important cities, sits in the upper Arpa River basin surrounded by a landscape increasingly defined by mining and heavy industry. The SECR railway complex - one of India's major railway zones - includes extensive workshops that service locomotives and rolling stock, generating metallic PM, diesel fumes, and welding emissions. The city's strategic position at the junction of the Korba–Champa coal-mining corridor and the Raipur–Bilaspur industrial axis places it within Chhattisgarh's most emission-intensive region.

Winter months (November–February) see the worst air quality as cold-season temperature inversions trap emissions from the railway workshops, coal-laden truck traffic on NH-130, and cement factories in the surrounding Bilaspur–Raigarh belt. PM2.5 concentrations regularly exceed 100 µg/m³ during peak winter weeks, while PM10 levels are elevated by road dust from heavy vehicle corridors and construction activity in the rapidly expanding city. Coal trucks transiting through the city to thermal power stations release fugitive coal dust that settles on roadways and is re-suspended by passing traffic.

The monsoon season (June–September) provides substantial relief as the Arpa River catchment receives 1,200–1,400 mm of rainfall, suppressing dust and washing particulates from the atmosphere. Post-monsoon October offers a brief clean window before inversions return. Bilaspur's growing population and its role as a regional administrative and educational hub (Guru Ghasidas University, AIIMS Bilaspur) are driving urban expansion that continues to increase vehicular traffic and construction dust.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Railway workshop emissions
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Cement industry emissions
  • Coal mining dust
  • Construction dust

Geography: Upper Arpa River basin in Chhattisgarh; major railway junction city, cement and coal belt proximity

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Bilaspur

How does the SECR railway complex affect Bilaspur's air quality?

The South East Central Railway headquarters in Bilaspur operates large locomotive workshops that emit metallic particulate matter from welding, grinding, and painting operations. Diesel shunting yards and coal-rake loading areas add diesel exhaust and coal dust, primarily affecting residential areas near the railway colony.

Does the coal mining belt influence Bilaspur's air quality?

Yes - Bilaspur sits at the gateway to Chhattisgarh's Korba–Champa coal belt. Thousands of coal trucks transit through the city daily on NH-130, releasing fugitive coal dust. Nearby cement plants and thermal power stations in the Korba corridor also contribute to the regional airshed, especially during winter inversions.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities