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Lucknow's Air Quality Dips: Construction Fuels Pollution Rise
4 Nov
Summary
- PM10 and PM2.5 levels exceed national limits across nine Lucknow locations.
- Amausi identified as the city's most polluted area in post-monsoon 2026.
- Construction and road digging are primary contributors to worsening air quality.
Lucknow has recorded a significant rise in particulate matter levels during post-monsoon 2026. Assessments across nine locations by CSIR-IITR indicated that both PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations exceeded national permissible limits, with Amausi identified as the most polluted site.
Construction activities, including underpass and road work, along with dust resuspension, are the primary drivers behind this deterioration. While pollution levels have increased compared to the previous year, they are still below the peak levels seen in 2022.
Longer-term improvements are attributed to initiatives like the UP Clean Air Plan and increased use of electric and CNG vehicles. However, the institute recommends stricter emission controls at construction sites and enhanced road cleaning measures to combat the issue effectively.
In addition to air pollution, noise levels in Lucknow also remained above national standards, with increases noted in residential and commercial areas during post-monsoon 2026. Gomti Nagar and Charbagh reported the highest residential and commercial noise levels, respectively.
