India is home to 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted

Most Polluted Indian Cities (2024-25): India ranks as the fifth most polluted country globally and is home to six of the world’s ten most polluted cities, according to the most recent World Air Quality Report by IQAir. Nearly 35 per cent of Indian cities recorded annual PM2.5 levels exceeding the World Health Organisation’s guidelines by more than ten times.

India saw a 7 per cent reduction in PM2.5 concentrations in 2024, with an average of 50.6 µg/m³, down from its third-place ranking the previous year. However, New Delhi continued to experience extreme pollution levels, with an annual average of 91.6 µg/m³—barely changing from 92.7 µg/m³ in 2023—making it the most polluted capital city in the world.

Byrnihat, located on the Assam-Meghalaya border, emerged as the most polluted city globally in 2024, with a staggering annual average PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 μg/m³

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Top 10 most polluted Indian cities with the worst AQI in 2024-25

IQAir India Map: A visual representation of PM2.5 levels across Indian cities in 2024. (Source: IQAir)

According to the report, 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India. Below are the top 10 most polluted cities in the country:

Cherry Gupta is an Assistant Manager – Content at The Indian Express. She is responsible for crafting compelling narratives, uncovering the latest news and developments, and driving engaging content based on data and trends to boost website traffic and audience engagement. One can connect with her on LinkedIn or by mail at cherry.gupta@indianexpress.com. … Read More