Jammu Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Jammu AQI Right Now

52

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 18.15 µg/m³

PM10: 50.66 µg/m³

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

Jammu Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.518.15 µg/m³
PM1050.66 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)29.02 µg/m³
NO₂11.53 µg/m³
SO₂4.85 µg/m³
CO771.89 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Jammu

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Jammu

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 0.8 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.05 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Jammu

  • 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 Jammu Air Quality

Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir, sits along the Tawi River at the base of the Shivalik Hills - a transitional zone between the Punjab plains and the Himalayan highlands. This valley setting creates moderate temperature inversions during winter months that trap vehicle exhaust, construction dust, and domestic heating emissions. The city serves as the gateway to the Kashmir Valley and Vaishno Devi shrine, generating heavy highway and military vehicle traffic along the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway.

Winter months (November–February) bring the poorest air quality as residents rely on wood-burning and kerosene heaters for warmth, and cold dense air settles in the Tawi valley overnight. Brick kiln operations on the city's outskirts add to particulate loads, while waste burning in peripheral areas contributes organic aerosols. Unlike Srinagar, which sits at a higher elevation in a deeper valley, Jammu's lower elevation (~300 m) and more open terrain allow somewhat better ventilation, resulting in less severe pollution episodes.

Rapid urbanisation has transformed Jammu from a quiet cantonment city into a sprawling urban centre, with construction activity generating significant dust emissions. The annual pilgrimage season to Vaishno Devi (particularly during Navratri) creates traffic surges through the city. Monsoon months (July–September) bring heavy rainfall that effectively cleanses the air, typically bringing AQI into the Good to Satisfactory range.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Construction dust
  • Road dust
  • Domestic heating (wood, kerosene)
  • Brick kilns
  • Waste burning

Geography: Tawi River valley below Shivalik range; winter capital of J&K, valley topography traps winter emissions, lower elevation than Kashmir valley

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Jammu

What causes air pollution in Jammu city?

Jammu's air pollution stems from vehicle exhaust (including heavy military and pilgrim traffic to Vaishno Devi), construction dust from rapid urbanisation, domestic wood and kerosene burning for winter heating, brick kilns on the outskirts, and waste burning. The Tawi River valley topography traps emissions during winter temperature inversions, worsening air quality from November through February.

How does Jammu's air quality compare to Srinagar?

Jammu generally experiences less severe winter pollution than Srinagar despite being at lower elevation. Srinagar's deeper Kashmir Valley traps emissions more effectively, and its colder temperatures drive greater domestic heating fuel use. However, Jammu faces higher vehicular pollution due to the national highway corridor and larger military presence. Both cities see their best air quality during the monsoon season.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities