According to a report by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Gurugram emerged as the most polluted city in India in March 2026, highlighting worsening air quality conditions in northern India. The report also noted that Ghaziabad remained the most polluted city overall for the entire FY 2025–26.
Top 10 Most Polluted Cities (March 2026)
- Gurugram (Haryana)
- Bahadurgarh (Haryana)
- Faridabad (Haryana)
- Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh)
- Mandideep (Madhya Pradesh)
- Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh)
- Manesar (Haryana)
- Bhiwadi (Rajasthan)
- Noida (Uttar Pradesh)
- Nandesari (Gujarat)
Key Findings
Haryana’s Pollution Crisis
- Haryana accounted for 4 out of top 10 polluted cities
- 9 out of 24 monitored cities exceeded National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
- Indicates widespread regional air quality deterioration
Gurugram’s Pollution Levels
- Recorded PM2.5 level: 116 µg/m³ (March 2026)
- Major contributors:
- Construction activities
- Road dust (PM10)
- Has consistently remained among the most polluted cities in recent years
Long-Term Trends (2024–2026)
- Faridabad often recorded higher PM2.5 levels
- Gurugram showed higher PM10 concentrations
- Persistent air pollution across NCR region
NCAP (National Clean Air Programme) Analysis
- 89 out of 96 NCAP cities still exceed NAAQS limits
- 79 cities showed improvement, but:
- 14 cities saw PM10 increase
- 3 cities unchanged
- 27 cities achieved >40% reduction in PM10
Major City-Level Data
- Highest PM10 levels:
- Ghaziabad: 215 µg/m³
- Delhi: 201 µg/m³
- Noida: 195 µg/m³
(All exceeding standards by more than 3 times)
State-Level Trends
Highest increase in PM10 cities:
- Odisha (5 cities)
- Madhya Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh (2 each)
Best improvement (>40% reduction):
- Uttar Pradesh (highest number of cities)
- Followed by Maharashtra & Punjab
City-wise extremes:
- Best improvement: Dehradun: 75% reduction
- Highest increase: Visakhapatnam: 73% increase
- Delhi recorded 17% reduction
About CREA
- Full form: Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)
- Founded: 2019
- Headquarters: Helsinki
- Works on air pollution, energy, and environmental research