10 Maharashtra Non-Attainment Cities Show Rising Pollution over 5 years despite NCAP efforts: New Report
Nagpur: Maharashtra's cities, including economic hubs such as Mumbai, Pune, and Navi Mumbai, continue to face significant air pollution challenges, according to a new report by Respirer Living Sciences Pvt Ltd (Respirer) based on data from the AtlasAQ Platform.
This comprehensive analysis of PM₂.₅ levels across key cities from 2019 to 2024 highlighted the mixed progress under India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and shows both improvements and persistent issues in reducing air pollution.
According to the latest report based on data from the AtlasAQ Platform, 10 out of 19 non-attainment cities in Maharashtra have shown rising PM₂.₅ pollution levels despite targeted interventions under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Cities including Navi Mumbai, Aurangabad, and Jalna continue to exceed safe air quality limits, with Navi Mumbai recording high PM₂.₅ levels at 61.80 µg/m³ in 2023—well above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS - 40 µg/m³) and the World Health Organization’s (WHO - 5 µg/m³) guideline. Other cities include Thane, Badlapur, Ulhasnagar, Chandrapur, Jalgaon, Nagpur, and Solapur. With PM₂.₅ levels consistently exceeding the NAAQS, these urban centres remain heavily polluted due to factors including industrial emissions, vehicular traffic, and rapid urbanisation. Despite NCAP efforts to reduce particulate matter levels by 20-30%, these cities face persistent challenges due to industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, and rapid urbanisation, underscoring the urgent need for more robust pollution control measures in the state.
In contrast to the rising pollution trends seen in several non-attainment cities across Maharashtra, Mumbai and Nagpur have shown notable improvements in air quality over recent years. Mumbai'sPM₂.₅ levels dropped significantly from 49.75 µg/m³ in 2023 to 28.82 µg/m³ in 2024, moving closer to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Similarly, Nagpur saw its PM₂.₅ levels fall from 51.35 µg/m³ in 2023 to 40.53 µg/m³ in 2024. These improvements suggest that targeted pollution control measures in these cities, such as traffic management, industrial regulation, and enhanced public awareness, may be starting to have an impact.
The AtlasAQ Platform, which compiles authenticated data from government-run Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), reveals that while some cities like Mumbai and Chandrapur have made strides in reducing PM₂.₅ levels, others, including Navi Mumbai and Aurangabad, consistently exceed the safe air quality limits set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In particular, Navi Mumbai’s PM₂.₅ levels remain well above both national and World Health Organization (WHO) standards, reflecting the urgent need for more stringent pollution control measures.
“Maharashtra’s cities are at a crossroads,” said Ronak Sutaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Respirer. “While there have been some improvements, the data reveals that pollution control efforts must be scaled up significantly if we are to meet the NCAP’s revised targets for 2026.”
This report offers a detailed breakdown of PM₂.₅ pollution across Maharashtra’s regions, providing valuable insights for policymakers, media, and affected communities to understand the scale of the air quality crisis and the steps needed to address it.
Professor SN Tripathi, Expert Committee Member for NCAP and Dean, Kotak School of Sustainability, IIT Kanpur, expressed concern over the lack of significant progress in many cities. “Based on the conclusions presented in this report, some cities are showing marginal improvement or none at all. If we include all the data for October, November, and December, even this trend of marginal improvement may vanish,” he noted.
Prof Tripathi further said, “It’s disappointing that despite available resources under NCAP and the XV (15th) Finance Commission, cities in Maharashtra haven’t implemented advanced air quality management systems or just-in-time interventions. With two years left, it’s crucial to deploy these measures so that residents can breathe easier.”
