Chandrapur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Chandrapur AQI Right Now

91

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 35.71 µg/m³

PM10: 90.96 µg/m³

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

Chandrapur Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.535.71 µg/m³
PM1090.96 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)8.5 µg/m³
NO₂23.67 µg/m³
SO₂7.57 µg/m³
CO411.65 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Chandrapur

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Chandrapur

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.6 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.17 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Chandrapur

  • 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 Chandrapur Air Quality

Chandrapur, known as the coal capital of Maharashtra, sits at the heart of Vidarbha's industrial belt. The city is ringed by coal mines, the Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (one of India's largest at 2,920 MW), multiple cement plants, and ferro-alloy factories. This intense concentration of heavy industry makes Chandrapur consistently one of Maharashtra's most polluted cities, with coal dust and fly ash a pervasive presence.

Winter months (November–March) bring severe air quality degradation as temperature inversions trap the continuous emissions from thermal power generation, cement manufacturing, and coal handling operations. PM2.5 levels regularly exceed 150 µg/m³ and PM10 can surpass 300 µg/m³ during peak inversion episodes. The flat Wardha River valley geography provides poor dispersion, and the coal-laden landscape itself generates fugitive dust from exposed mining surfaces and coal transport routes.

The monsoon (June–September) provides partial but insufficient relief - rainfall suppresses dust but the thermal power station and cement plants operate year-round, maintaining a pollution baseline even during the wettest months. Ironically, the nearby Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, just 45 km away, experiences pristine air quality, highlighting how Chandrapur's industrial emissions are highly concentrated around the urban-industrial corridor.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Coal-based thermal power plant emissions
  • Cement factory dust
  • Coal mining and transport dust
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Industrial emissions (ferro-alloys and steel)
  • Road dust

Geography: Eastern Vidarbha coal belt along the Wardha River; surrounded by coal mines, thermal power stations, and cement plants, with Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve nearby

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February, March

Frequently Asked Questions — Chandrapur

Why is Chandrapur one of the most polluted cities in Maharashtra?

Chandrapur hosts a massive concentration of polluting industries: the 2,920 MW Super Thermal Power Station, multiple cement factories, ferro-alloy plants, and extensive coal mining operations. These sources emit fly ash, SO2, NOx, and particulate matter year-round, making the city consistently among Maharashtra's worst for air quality.

How does coal mining affect Chandrapur's air?

Chandrapur district has the largest coal reserves in Maharashtra, with both open-cast and underground mines operated by Western Coalfields Limited. Open-cast mining exposes vast surfaces that generate fugitive dust, while coal transport trucks on unpaved haul roads create persistent PM10 plumes. Coal stockyards and loading points add fine coal dust to the ambient air.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities