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Gurugram Chokes on Toxic Air as PM2.5 Levels Soar 14 Times WHO Limit
13 Nov
Summary
- PM2.5 levels in Gurugram 5.5 times above national safe limit
- Pollution crisis persists despite marginal AQI improvement
- Nearby cities also struggle with dangerously high PM2.5 concentrations
As of November 13, 2025, Gurugram's air quality has remained in a critical state, with the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) reaching alarming levels. Despite a 28-point improvement in the city's air quality index (AQI), which stood at 350 on November 13, the average PM2.5 levels remained extremely high at 222 µg/m³ until 5 pm that day.
This concentration of PM2.5 is 5.5 times above the national safe limit and a staggering 14.8 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 15 µg/m³. The situation has been deteriorating over the past two weeks, with average PM2.5 levels rising from 136 µg/m³ on November 1 to 222.18 µg/m³ on November 13.
The high levels of PM2.5, which consists of dust, black carbon, heavy metals, and other toxic particles, pose a severe threat to public health. Prolonged exposure can lead to heart diseases, strokes, respiratory illnesses, and lung cancer. Nearby cities, including Faridabad, Ballabhgarh, and Bhiwani, have also been grappling with dangerously high PM2.5 concentrations, ranging from 1.6 to 3.6 times the safe limit.
Experts have called for a more comprehensive, airshed-based approach to address the pollution crisis, recognizing that air quality issues transcend administrative boundaries. Policymakers must prioritize tracking and managing PM2.5 levels, rather than relying solely on the broader AQI metric, to effectively tackle the public health emergency unfolding in Gurugram and the surrounding region.
