Gandhidham Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Gandhidham AQI Right Now

96

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 10.89 µg/m³

PM10: 95.48 µg/m³

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

Gandhidham Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.510.89 µg/m³
PM1095.48 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)18.15 µg/m³
NO₂3.47 µg/m³
SO₂2.38 µg/m³
CO129.06 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Gandhidham

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Gandhidham

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 0.5 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.01 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Gandhidham

  • General Population: Acceptable air quality. Unusually sensitive people should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
  • Elderly: Minor breathing discomfort is possible.
  • Children: Should be fine outdoors with normal activities.
  • Lung Disease Patients: Consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.

Understanding Gandhidham Air Quality

Gandhidham, a planned city on the edge of the Great Rann of Kutch, owes its existence and its air quality challenges to the adjacent Kandla Port — one of India's busiest cargo ports handling over 100 million tonnes annually. Diesel emissions from port machinery, heavy-duty trucks on the Gandhidham–Kandla corridor, and ship exhaust create a persistent baseline of PM2.5 and NOx that distinguishes this relatively small city from others of comparable population.

Winter months (November–February) bring the worst air quality as the arid Kutch climate produces calm, stable atmospheric conditions with minimal vertical mixing. The flat, barren landscape of the Rann offers no natural windbreaks, yet the lack of vegetation also means dust from the saline mudflats and extensive salt pans becomes airborne with even light winds, elevating PM10 levels. The Kandla Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) hosts chemical, pharmaceutical, and engineering units whose emissions compound port-related pollution.

Summer months (March–May) see extreme temperatures exceeding 45°C and frequent dust storms from the Rann and Thar Desert to the north, pushing PM10 to very high levels. The monsoon (June–September) offers moderate relief with 350–400 mm of rainfall — less than most Gujarat cities — but enough to temporarily suppress dust. The city's rapid growth as a logistics hub means increasing vehicular traffic and construction activity continue to add to emission loads.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Kandla Port cargo and shipping emissions
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Industrial emissions (Kandla SEZ)
  • Salt pan and Rann dust
  • Construction dust

Geography: Edge of the Rann of Kutch in western Gujarat; arid climate, twin city with Kandla Port — India's largest cargo port by volume, salt pans and mudflats nearby

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Gandhidham

How does Kandla Port affect Gandhidham's air quality?

Kandla Port, one of India's largest cargo ports located adjacent to Gandhidham, generates significant diesel particulate emissions from cargo-handling equipment, heavy trucks, and vessel traffic. The port's year-round operations create a persistent baseline of PM2.5 and NOx, particularly along the Gandhidham–Kandla transport corridor.

Why is dust such a major issue in Gandhidham?

Gandhidham sits on the edge of the Rann of Kutch, one of the world's largest salt deserts. The arid climate (under 400 mm annual rainfall), extensive salt pans, and barren mudflats generate significant airborne dust, especially during pre-monsoon summer months when temperatures exceed 45°C and dust storms are common.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities