Durgapur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today
West Bengal, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5
Durgapur AQI Right Now
Category: Satisfactory
Dominant Pollutant: pm10
PM2.5: 44.8 µg/m³
PM10: 87.7 µg/m³
Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.
Durgapur Pollutant Levels
| Pollutant | Concentration |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 44.8 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 87.7 µg/m³ |
| O₃ (Ozone) | 15.35 µg/m³ |
| NO₂ | 20.99 µg/m³ |
| SO₂ | 6.53 µg/m³ |
| CO | 823.15 µg/m³ |
Health Advisory — Durgapur
Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
Health Impact — Durgapur
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 0.23 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).
Health Recommendations for Durgapur
- 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 Durgapur Air Quality
Durgapur, often called Bengal's Sheffield, was built as a planned industrial city in the 1950s and today hosts one of India's densest concentrations of heavy industry. The SAIL Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) and the Alloy Steels Plant (ASP) form the city's industrial backbone, producing millions of tonnes of steel annually. Their blast furnaces, coke ovens, and sinter plants emit large quantities of PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and heavy metals that create a persistent industrial haze, particularly when wind speeds drop during winter months.
The city's location in the Damodar River valley - shared with its neighbour Asansol in the Asansol-Durgapur Planning Area - compounds the problem. The valley floor traps cold air and industrial emissions during November–February, when temperature inversions are frequent. Multiple coal-based thermal power stations (Durgapur Thermal Power Station, DPL) and chemical industries (Durgapur Chemicals, fertiliser plants) add to the emission load, while fly ash from thermal power units settles across residential areas. Winter AQI readings regularly exceed 200 (Poor to Very Poor range), with industrial-zone monitors occasionally crossing 350.
Summer months (April–June) bring some improvement as rising temperatures increase mixing heights and stronger winds help disperse the industrial plume. The monsoon season (July–September) provides the best air quality, with sustained rainfall scrubbing particulates from the air. Post-monsoon October is a brief window of clean conditions before winter inversions re-establish in the valley.
Primary Pollution Sources
- Steel plant emissions (Durgapur Steel Plant/SAIL)
- Industrial emissions (chemicals, alloy steel)
- Vehicle exhaust
- Coal-based thermal power
- Fly ash
- Road dust
Geography: Asansol-Durgapur industrial corridor in Bardhaman district; planned industrial city, heavy industry concentration on Damodar River valley
Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February
Frequently Asked Questions — Durgapur
How does the steel industry affect Durgapur's air quality?
The SAIL Durgapur Steel Plant and Alloy Steels Plant are major emission sources, releasing PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NOx, and heavy metals from blast furnaces, coke ovens, and sinter plants. These operate continuously, creating a baseline industrial haze year-round. During winter when the Damodar valley experiences temperature inversions, these emissions accumulate at ground level, pushing AQI into the Very Poor range in areas downwind from the steel plants.
When is the best time to visit Durgapur for clean air?
August and September offer the cleanest air, with monsoon rains washing out industrial particulates and suppressing dust. AQI typically remains in the Good to Satisfactory range during these months. Avoid November through January when valley inversions trap steel plant and thermal power emissions.
Air Quality in Nearby Cities
- Asansol AQI — West Bengal
- Kulti AQI — West Bengal
- Bardhaman AQI — West Bengal
- Dhanbad AQI — Jharkhand
- Bokaro AQI — Jharkhand
- Deoghar AQI — Jharkhand