Most Polluted Cities in India 2026 — Live Rankings
Daily pollution rankings for Indian cities, metros, states, and regions — powered by median AQI from hundreds of monitoring stations across India.
Top 25 Most Polluted Cities in India (2026)
| # | City | State | Median AQI | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loni | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 2 | Gurgaon | Haryana | undefined | Unknown |
| 3 | Kirari Suleman Nagar | Delhi | undefined | Unknown |
| 4 | Hapur | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 5 | Hardoi | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 6 | Nangloi Jat | Delhi | undefined | Unknown |
| 7 | Noida | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 8 | Khora | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 9 | Hisar | Haryana | undefined | Unknown |
| 10 | Patna | Bihar | undefined | Unknown |
| 11 | Agartala | Tripura | undefined | Unknown |
| 12 | Jaunpur | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 13 | Ghaziabad | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 14 | Meerut | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 15 | Sonipat | Haryana | undefined | Unknown |
| 16 | Faridabad | Haryana | undefined | Unknown |
| 17 | Pimpri-Chinchwad | Maharashtra | undefined | Unknown |
| 18 | Ara | Bihar | undefined | Unknown |
| 19 | Bhojpur | Bihar | undefined | Unknown |
| 20 | Sultanpur | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
| 21 | Hajipur | Bihar | undefined | Unknown |
| 22 | Hazaribagh | Jharkhand | undefined | Unknown |
| 23 | Bikaner | Rajasthan | undefined | Unknown |
| 24 | Junagadh | Gujarat | undefined | Unknown |
| 25 | Muzaffarnagar | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | Unknown |
Looking for cities with the best air quality? See Cleanest Cities in India 2026.
Most Polluted States in India 2026
| # | State | Cities | Median AQI | Worst City | Best City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tripura | undefined | undefined | ||
| 2 | Delhi | undefined | undefined | ||
| 3 | Haryana | undefined | undefined | ||
| 4 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | undefined | undefined | ||
| 5 | Jharkhand | undefined | undefined | ||
| 6 | Chandigarh UT | undefined | undefined | ||
| 7 | Punjab | undefined | undefined | ||
| 8 | Maharashtra | undefined | undefined | ||
| 9 | Uttar Pradesh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 10 | Bihar | undefined | undefined | ||
| 11 | Rajasthan | undefined | undefined | ||
| 12 | Gujarat | undefined | undefined | ||
| 13 | Uttarakhand | undefined | undefined | ||
| 14 | Telangana | undefined | undefined | ||
| 15 | Madhya Pradesh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 16 | Kerala | undefined | undefined | ||
| 17 | Karnataka | undefined | undefined | ||
| 18 | Meghalaya | undefined | undefined | ||
| 19 | Odisha | undefined | undefined | ||
| 20 | West Bengal | undefined | undefined | ||
| 21 | Chhattisgarh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 22 | Andhra Pradesh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 23 | Goa | undefined | undefined | ||
| 24 | Assam | undefined | undefined | ||
| 25 | Mizoram | undefined | undefined | ||
| 26 | Manipur | undefined | undefined | ||
| 27 | Tamil Nadu | undefined | undefined | ||
| 28 | Arunachal Pradesh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 29 | Jammu & Kashmir | undefined | undefined | ||
| 30 | Himachal Pradesh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 31 | Nagaland | undefined | undefined | ||
| 32 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | undefined | undefined | ||
| 33 | Puducherry | undefined | undefined | ||
| 34 | Lakshadweep | undefined | undefined | ||
| 35 | Ladakh | undefined | undefined | ||
| 36 | Sikkim | undefined | undefined |
Regional Air Quality — India 2026
West India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
North India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
East India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
Central India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
South India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
Northeast India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
Other India
Average AQI: undefined (Unknown) — undefined states, undefined cities monitored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most polluted city in India in 2026?
Delhi and its NCR satellite cities (Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon) consistently record the highest AQI readings in India. The rankings on this page update twice daily with data from the Google Air Quality API.
Which metro city has the worst air quality in India?
Among India's 8 major metro cities, Delhi typically has the worst air quality, followed by Kolkata and Pune. Southern metros like Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad enjoy relatively cleaner air.
What causes high AQI in Indian cities?
The primary drivers are vehicular emissions, industrial activity, construction dust, and seasonal crop stubble burning (October–November). In winter, temperature inversions trap pollutants close to the ground, causing AQI spikes across the Indo-Gangetic plain.
How is the city pollution ranking calculated?
Rankings are based on real-time data from the Google Air Quality API using satellite imagery, sensor networks, and weather data. We use the India NAQI scale where PM2.5 and PM10 drive the headline number. Rankings are refreshed twice daily.
What is the AQI of Delhi today?
Delhi's AQI changes hour by hour. Check the live rankings on this page for Delhi's current AQI, or visit the dedicated Delhi AQI page for real-time PM2.5 levels and health advice.
When is air pollution worst in India?
October through February is peak pollution season, especially in North India. Crop stubble burning, Diwali fireworks, and winter temperature inversions combine to push AQI into the Severe range. Summer monsoon brings the best air quality.