Gurugram tops pollution chart in March, find out why
How does this compare with past pollution trends in NCR?
The latest rankings reflect a continuation of poor air quality trends seen over the past two years. In 2025, both Gurugram and Faridabad consistently ranked among India’s most polluted cities, with Faridabad often recording higher PM2.5 levels. However, Gurugram frequently led in PM10 concentrations due to heavy construction and road dust. The March 2026 data indicates a reversal, with Gurugram witnessing a significant surge in PM2.5 levels. Meanwhile, Ghaziabad remains the most polluted city overall for the 2025-26 financial year, underlining the persistent air quality crisis across the NCR.
What does the CREA report say about pollution control efforts and the way forward?
The report also assesses the progress of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and finds mixed results. While cities like Dehradun recorded a 75 per cent reduction in PM10 levels since the 2017-18 baseline, other cities such as Visakhapatnam saw pollution rise by 73 per cent. Delhi showed a modest 17 per cent decline. CREA analyst Manoj Kumar stressed that many cities are still far from meeting targets and called for stricter emission norms and science-based interventions. Experts have also advocated an “airshed approach,” which addresses pollution at a regional level rather than city-wise, to tackle cross-border sources effectively.
As NCR cities continue to grapple with toxic air, the findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated, multi-state action to achieve sustained improvements in air quality.
