Gurgaon Air Quality Worsens Dramatically

Gurgaon has emerged as a significant pollution hotspot within Haryana, ranking fourth among monitored locations for both PM2.5 and PM10 in September. The city experienced a substantial rise in particulate pollution compared to the previous year. Current average concentrations for PM2.5 and PM10 are considerably above the national annual standards. Specifically, PM2.5 averaged 58.94 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), surpassing the standard of 40 µg/m³ by over 18 µg/m³. Similarly, PM10 averaged 106.7 µg/m³, exceeding its annual standard of 60 µg/m³ by a significant margin. Panipat, Jind, and Yamunanagar recorded higher PM2.5 levels, while Panipat, Faridabad, and Ambala had greater PM10 concentrations.

The data reveals a worrying trend, with September's PM2.5 levels showing a 52% increase from the previous year and a 27% rise from two years prior. PM10 also saw an increase of 23% from last year and nearly 38% from two years ago. Air analysts suggest a combination of local emissions, regional pollution transport, and weather patterns hindering pollutant dispersal contribute to Gurgaon's poor air quality. As part of the National Capital Region airshed, its air quality is also impacted by external emissions.

While month-to-month comparisons show increased pollution, the long-term picture is somewhat varied. This September's PM2.5 levels were higher than in 2022 and 2024 but slightly lower than in 2023. PM10 levels were below those of 2022 and 2023 but substantially above 2024 and 2025 figures. It is important to note that these monthly averages do not constitute violations of annual standards on their own. Nevertheless, these findings highlight Gurgaon's critical air quality situation as the region enters the winter pollution season.