Ujjain Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today
Madhya Pradesh, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5
Ujjain AQI Right Now
Category: Satisfactory
Dominant Pollutant: pm10
PM2.5: 54.55 µg/m³
PM10: 98.74 µg/m³
Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.
Ujjain Pollutant Levels
| Pollutant | Concentration |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 54.55 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 98.74 µg/m³ |
| O₃ (Ozone) | 17.65 µg/m³ |
| NO₂ | 27.16 µg/m³ |
| SO₂ | 1.24 µg/m³ |
| CO | 598.06 µg/m³ |
Health Advisory — Ujjain
Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
Health Impact — Ujjain
Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 2.5 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).
Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.29 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).
Health Recommendations for Ujjain
- 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 Ujjain Air Quality
Ujjain, one of India's seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) and home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga - one of the twelve most revered Shiva temples - sits on the banks of the Shipra River in the Malwa Plateau of western Madhya Pradesh. As one of four hosts of the Kumbh Mela (the world's largest religious gathering), the city experiences massive periodic surges in population, vehicular traffic, and temporary construction that dramatically impact local air quality during the months-long festival period. Year-round pilgrimage traffic to Mahakaleshwar Temple generates steady emissions in the old city area.
Winter months (November–February) bring the poorest air quality as temperature inversions settle over the Malwa Plateau (~500 m elevation), trapping vehicle exhaust, road dust, and biomass burning emissions. The textile and sari printing industry - Ujjain is known for its Maheshwari fabric production - generates chemical emissions from dyeing and printing processes in small workshops. Agricultural stubble burning in the surrounding wheat and soybean fields during post-harvest season (November–December) adds regional smoke that drifts across the plateau.
Compared to larger Madhya Pradesh cities like Indore (just 55 km away), Ujjain's smaller industrial footprint means its overall pollution levels are moderate. However, the narrow lanes of the ancient temple town create pollution hotspots where vehicle exhaust concentrations are many times higher than the city average. The Shipra River - revered but heavily polluted - provides some moisture that contributes to winter fog. The monsoon season (July–September) brings the best air quality as Malwa Plateau rainfall efficiently washes out particulates, and summer months see moderate air quality despite high temperatures.
Primary Pollution Sources
- Vehicle exhaust
- Road dust
- Construction dust
- Textile emissions
- Waste burning
- Festival and pilgrimage emissions
Geography: Shipra River bank in Malwa Plateau; ancient holy city (Kumbh Mela host), moderate elevation, agricultural economy
Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February
Frequently Asked Questions — Ujjain
How does the Kumbh Mela affect Ujjain's air quality?
The Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held in Ujjain every 12 years, draws tens of millions of pilgrims over several months. This creates massive vehicular congestion, temporary construction (tents, roads, infrastructure), diesel generator usage, cooking fires, and waste generation that significantly degrade air quality. Even during non-Kumbh years, the Mahakaleshwar Temple draws daily pilgrimage traffic that creates localised pollution in the old city area.
What are the main pollution sources in Ujjain?
Ujjain's pollution primarily comes from vehicle exhaust (including pilgrim traffic), road dust from the semi-arid Malwa Plateau, textile dyeing and printing workshops, construction activity, waste burning, and seasonal agricultural burning in surrounding farmlands. The city's ancient narrow streets trap vehicle emissions, while winter inversions over the plateau prevent vertical dispersion of pollutants.
Air Quality in Nearby Cities
- Indore AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Ratlam AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Sehore AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Bhopal AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Hoshangabad AQI — Madhya Pradesh
- Raisen AQI — Madhya Pradesh