Autobayng News Team
Compared with the NCAP baseline year (2017–18), PM10 levels increased in 14 cities and remained unchanged in three, while 79 cities recorded an improvement.“>
Ghaziabad has grabbed the notorious tag of being the most polluted city in India in FY26, as per the latest National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) city progress analysis conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). During the year, Ghaziabad recorded the highest annual average PM10 concentration at 215 μg/m3, followed by Delhi (201 μg/m3), and Noida (195 μg/m3).
The analysis found that pollution levels in all these cities exceeded three times the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 60 μg/m3, with only a few cities meeting NCAP targets after seven years of implementation.
Manoj Kumar, Analyst at CREA, said: “Many cities are still far from meeting the revised NCAP targets, and some have even seen rising pollution levels, which is a serious concern. As the programme moves into its next phase, there is an opportunity to base interventions on robust, science-based solutions, with funding directed towards the major pollution sources identified in each region.”Compared with the NCAP baseline year (2017–18), PM10 levels increased in 14 cities and remained unchanged in three, while 79 cities recorded an improvement.
Among those showing gains, several cities reported sharp reductions, including multiple cities in Uttar Pradesh with declines of over 40 per cent. Similar improvements were seen in parts of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Rajasthan, along with isolated gains in states such as Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Assam and Bihar.
On the other hand, Odisha recorded the highest number of cities with rising PM10 levels, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. A few cities in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu also reported increases.
Dehradun recorded the steepest decline in PM10 levels at 75 per cent compared with 2017–18, while Visakhapatnam saw the highest increase at 73 per cent. Delhi reported a 17 per cent reduction over the same period.
Most cities met India’s PM2.5 norms in March 2026, but nearly all breached WHO limits, with only three cities meeting the stricter standard. Gurgaon was the most polluted city, while Haryana recorded the highest number of cities exceeding national norms, followed by Uttar Pradesh.
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