Kota Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today
Rajasthan, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5
Kota AQI Right Now
Category: Moderate
Dominant Pollutant: pm10
PM2.5: 44.56 µg/m³
PM10: 110.7 µg/m³
Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.
Kota Pollutant Levels
| Pollutant | Concentration |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 44.56 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 110.7 µg/m³ |
| O₃ (Ozone) | 48.24 µg/m³ |
| NO₂ | 16.21 µg/m³ |
| SO₂ | 5.41 µg/m³ |
| CO | 312.86 µg/m³ |
Health Advisory — Kota
Moderate: Breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.
Health Impact — Kota
Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 2 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).
Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.22 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).
Health Recommendations for Kota
- 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 Kota Air Quality
Kota, renowned as India's coaching capital for competitive exam preparation, is also one of Rajasthan's major industrial cities. Situated on the banks of the Chambal River, the city hosts a cluster of heavy industries - including the DCM Shriram chemical complex, J.K. Cement, and several engineering units in the Kota Industrial Area - that form a significant emission baseline distinct from the typical education-city image.
Winter air quality (November–February) deteriorates as the Chambal valley's lower elevation creates natural cold-air pooling, trapping industrial and vehicular emissions. PM2.5 levels routinely reach 130–170 µg/m³, with the industrial corridor to the south and east contributing SO2 and NO2 alongside particulate matter. The thermal power stations (Kota Super Thermal Power Station) in the southeastern outskirts add to the emission load. Stone quarrying for sandstone and kota stone (the famous flooring material) generates significant PM10 in the city's periphery.
The semi-arid climate means limited self-cleansing - annual rainfall barely reaches 650 mm, concentrated in July–August. The coaching hub areas (Talwandi, Mahaveer Nagar) experience localised congestion from thousands of student hostels, food delivery vehicles, and dense habitation in a compact zone. Post-monsoon October offers the cleanest air before winter inversions establish.
Primary Pollution Sources
- Industrial emissions (chemical, fertiliser, engineering)
- Vehicle exhaust
- Stone quarrying
- Road dust
- Construction dust
- Domestic biomass burning
Geography: Chambal River valley in southeastern Rajasthan; semi-arid climate with industrial corridor, lower elevation than surrounding plateau
Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February
Frequently Asked Questions — Kota
Does Kota's industrial area affect the coaching hub's air quality?
Yes - when southerly winds carry emissions from the Kota Industrial Area and the Super Thermal Power Station, the coaching districts (Talwandi, Vigyan Nagar) experience elevated SO2 and PM levels. Winter calm conditions make this drift more frequent, and the dense student hostel areas compound localised pollution.
When is air quality best in Kota?
September through early October, immediately after the monsoon, offers the cleanest air with AQI typically in the Good to Satisfactory range. The monsoon rains (July–August) wash out accumulated dust and industrial emissions from the Chambal valley.
Air Quality in Nearby Cities
- Bhilwara AQI — Rajasthan
- Guna AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Shivpuri AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Ajmer AQI — Rajasthan
- Jaipur AQI — Rajasthan
- Ratlam AQI — Madhya Pradesh