Nagpur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Nagpur AQI Right Now

176

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm25

PM2.5: 82.86 µg/m³

PM10: 175.91 µg/m³

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

Nagpur Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.582.86 µg/m³
PM10175.91 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)22.12 µg/m³
NO₂29.82 µg/m³
SO₂32.06 µg/m³
CO610.24 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Nagpur

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

Recommendation: Sensitive groups (children, elderly, people with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor exposure.

Health Impact — Nagpur

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 3.8 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.47 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Nagpur

  • 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 Nagpur Air Quality

Nagpur, the "Orange City" and geographic centre of India, occupies a strategic position on the Deccan Plateau in eastern Maharashtra. As the winter capital of Maharashtra and the headquarters of the RSS, it is a major administrative and cultural centre. Its relatively inland position and semi-arid climate contribute to moderate-to-poor air quality, especially during the dry winter months.

Winter (November–February) brings the worst air quality, with PM2.5 concentrations reaching 80–140 µg/m³ during December and January. The MIDC industrial areas in Butibori, Hingna, and Kalmeshwar contribute manufacturing emissions, while the nearby Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power stations - among the largest in Maharashtra - add significant SO2 and fly ash to ambient air. Agricultural stubble burning in the Vidarbha cotton belt during post-harvest season (November–December) further elevates particulate levels.

Nagpur's ongoing metro construction and rapid expansion along the Wardha Road and Amravati Road corridors generate substantial construction dust. The city's growing vehicle fleet, particularly diesel trucks transiting through its national highway crossroads (junction of NH-6, NH-7, and NH-69), adds to NOx and PM2.5. The monsoon (June–September) brings clean air helped by moderate rainfall and improved wind dispersal.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Industrial emissions (MIDC areas, Butibori)
  • Construction dust
  • Thermal power plant emissions
  • Road dust
  • Agricultural burning

Geography: Central Indian plateau at ~310 m elevation; landlocked with semi-arid climate, surrounded by agricultural and forested land

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Nagpur

What causes air pollution in Nagpur?

Nagpur's pollution comes from vehicular exhaust (growing commuter and heavy goods traffic), thermal power stations at Koradi and Khaparkheda, industrial emissions from MIDC zones at Butibori and Hingna, construction dust (metro and highway projects), and seasonal agricultural burning in the Vidarbha cotton belt.

How do the thermal power plants affect Nagpur air?

The Koradi (1,340 MW) and Khaparkheda (1,340 MW) coal-fired power plants northeast of Nagpur emit significant quantities of SO2, NOx, and fly ash. Depending on wind direction, these emissions can impact city air quality, particularly during calm winter days when dispersion is limited.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities