Tumakuru (Tumkur) Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Tumkur AQI Right Now

91

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 49.53 µg/m³

PM10: 90.78 µg/m³

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

Tumkur Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.549.53 µg/m³
PM1090.78 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)14.12 µg/m³
NO₂16.33 µg/m³
SO₂2.84 µg/m³
CO429.85 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Tumkur

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Tumkur

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 2.3 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.26 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Tumkur

  • 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 Tumkur Air Quality

Tumakuru (Tumkur), a rapidly industrialising city on the Bangalore–Tumkur national highway corridor, has emerged as one of southern Karnataka's key manufacturing hubs. The Tumkur Industrial Area and the growing Smart City infrastructure have attracted engineering, automotive ancillary, and textile units whose emissions contribute to an evolving pollution profile. Granite quarrying and stone crushing operations in the surrounding rocky Deccan terrain generate significant mineral dust that coats roadside areas.

The dry season (December–March) brings moderate air quality challenges as the semi-arid climate — annual rainfall around 650mm — leaves roads and construction sites dusty. Vehicular exhaust from trucks and freight vehicles on NH 48 (Bangalore–Pune highway) passing through the city adds diesel emissions. Industrial zones in the KIADB estates on the city's outskirts contribute PM10 and volatile compounds. Winter morning inversions can temporarily push PM2.5 readings into the Moderate to Poor range, though conditions rarely match the severity of northern Indian cities.

The monsoon (June–September) brings the cleanest air as reliable southwest monsoon rainfall suppresses quarry dust and washes out industrial particulates. Tumkur's proximity to Bangalore — just 70 km — means commuter corridor traffic is growing rapidly, and satellite township development adds construction dust. The city's moderate elevation (~800m) and open plateau terrain allow reasonable wind dispersal, keeping annual average AQI below national urban averages despite industrialisation.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Industrial emissions (engineering, textiles)
  • Road dust
  • Construction dust
  • Quarrying and stone crushing
  • Waste burning

Geography: Bangalore-Tumkur industrial corridor on the Deccan Plateau; rapidly industrialising satellite city, semi-arid with granite quarrying belt

Peak pollution months: December, January, February, March

Frequently Asked Questions — Tumkur

How does industrialisation affect Tumkur's air quality?

Tumkur's growing industrial base — engineering, automotive ancillary, and textile units in KIADB estates — contributes PM10, volatile compounds, and vehicular emissions from freight traffic. Granite quarrying and stone crushing operations in the surrounding area add mineral dust. However, the moderate industrial scale and decent monsoon rainfall keep annual pollution levels below most industrialised Indian cities.

When is the best air quality in Tumkur?

July through September offers the cleanest air as monsoon rainfall suppresses quarry dust and industrial particulates. AQI typically remains in the Good to Satisfactory range. The driest months (February–April) see the highest dust levels, particularly near quarrying zones and the highway corridor.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities