Ratlam Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Ratlam AQI Right Now

117

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 25.46 µg/m³

PM10: 123.68 µg/m³

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

Ratlam Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.525.46 µg/m³
PM10123.68 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)34.41 µg/m³
NO₂15.74 µg/m³
SO₂13.97 µg/m³
CO516.8 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Ratlam

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

Health Impact — Ratlam

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.2 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.1 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Ratlam

  • 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 Ratlam Air Quality

Ratlam is a significant industrial city on the Malwa Plateau in western Madhya Pradesh, distinguished by its concentration of chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing units. The city hosts a cluster of factories producing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), pesticides, dyes, and industrial chemicals in its RIICO and industrial estate zones. These operations release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, and chemical odours that define Ratlam's distinctive pollution signature — residents frequently report pungent chemical smells, particularly during evening temperature inversions when emissions settle at ground level.

Winter months (November–February) bring the worst air quality as temperature inversions over the flat Malwa Plateau trap chemical emissions, vehicle exhaust from the congested railway junction area, and agricultural burning smoke from surrounding wheat and soybean fields. Ratlam's position as a major Western Railway junction means heavy diesel locomotive and truck traffic adds persistent NOx and PM2.5 to the urban airshed. The proximity to the semi-arid Rajasthan border brings dry, dusty conditions that compound industrial pollution, with PM10 from wind-blown soil a particular concern during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon dry spells.

The monsoon season (July–September) provides the most significant relief, as rainfall scrubs both chemical emissions and dust from the atmosphere. However, chemical manufacturing operations continue year-round, meaning baseline VOC and odour levels persist even during wet months. Summer (April–June) sees strong thermal mixing that disperses pollutants vertically, but hot winds from Rajasthan carry desert dust into the city, keeping PM10 elevated.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Industrial effluent processing
  • Agricultural burning

Geography: Western Madhya Pradesh on the Malwa Plateau; major railway junction and chemical-pharmaceutical manufacturing hub near the Rajasthan border

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Ratlam

Why does Ratlam have chemical odours in the air?

Ratlam hosts a concentrated cluster of chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing units producing APIs, pesticides, dyes, and industrial chemicals. These facilities release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that cause persistent chemical odours, especially during evening and nighttime temperature inversions when emissions settle at ground level. The industrial estate areas are the primary source of these odours.

How does Ratlam's railway junction affect air quality?

Ratlam is a major junction on the Western Railway network, with heavy diesel locomotive traffic and associated freight movement. Diesel exhaust from trains and the large fleet of trucks servicing the railway goods yard contribute significant NOx, PM2.5, and black carbon emissions to the city's air, particularly in areas near the station and freight corridors.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities