Barasat Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Barasat AQI Right Now

75

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 36.51 µg/m³

PM10: 74.89 µg/m³

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

Barasat Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.536.51 µg/m³
PM1074.89 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)22.37 µg/m³
NO₂19.51 µg/m³
SO₂3.45 µg/m³
CO539.62 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Barasat

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Barasat

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.7 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 Barasat

  • 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 Barasat Air Quality

Barasat, the administrative headquarters of North 24 Parganas district, serves as a rapidly growing suburban hub northeast of Kolkata along the historic Jessore Road — the route that connects Kolkata to Bangladesh. The town's rapid expansion as a commuter satellite for Kolkata has brought intensive construction activity, growing vehicular traffic, and commercial development that outpaces infrastructure, creating persistent air quality challenges in its core areas.

Winter months (November–February) bring the worst air quality as temperature inversions settle over the flat Gangetic delta terrain. Brick kilns on the town's periphery operate intensively during the dry season, contributing fly ash and fine particulates. Vehicular exhaust from the busy Jessore Road and Barasat–Barrackpore corridor, combined with domestic and commercial waste burning, pushes PM2.5 into the Poor range during December and January. Morning fog across the paddy-field landscape reduces atmospheric mixing and traps pollutants at ground level.

The monsoon (June–September) provides the best air quality as heavy rainfall (1,500mm+) cleanses the atmosphere and floods suppress brick kiln operations. Barasat's location on the slightly elevated Gangetic delta allows some natural drainage, though waterlogging remains an issue in low-lying sections. The town's growing integration with Kolkata — through improved road and rail links — means its air quality increasingly mirrors metropolitan patterns. New residential townships and commercial complexes continue to add construction dust to the local emission inventory.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Construction dust
  • Brick kilns
  • Waste burning
  • Small-scale industrial emissions

Geography: North 24 Parganas district headquarters northeast of Kolkata; rapidly growing suburban centre, flat Gangetic delta, on Jessore Road corridor

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Barasat

What causes air pollution in Barasat?

Barasat's pollution stems from vehicular exhaust on the busy Jessore Road corridor, periurban brick kiln operations during the dry season, construction dust from rapid suburban expansion, and domestic waste burning. As a satellite town of Kolkata, regional metropolitan pollution also influences local readings, especially during winter inversions over the flat delta terrain.

How does Barasat's air quality compare to Kolkata?

Barasat's air quality broadly mirrors Kolkata's seasonal patterns due to their shared Gangetic delta airshed. Winter inversions affect both areas similarly. However, Barasat has additional localised sources like periurban brick kilns and more construction dust from rapid suburban growth, which can push readings slightly higher than central Kolkata during the dry season.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities