Bengaluru has cleanest air among Indian metros, but still not safe
Turns out, even India's "cleanest" big city air isn't actually clean.
A Climate Trends analysis of 11 major cities (2015-2025) shows none hit the safe AQI mark—Bengaluru did best with 65-90, but that's still above the healthy range.
Other metros aren't much better
Southern and western cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Vizag saw AQIs between 80-140—not as bad as up north, but still unsafe.
Delhi stayed the country's pollution hotspot: its AQI dropped from over 250 in 2016 to around 180 now, but on November 27, the city-wide AQI spiked to a severe 377, with some stations recording values above 400.
Why is this such a struggle?
Rapid urban growth and constant emissions are keeping our cities in the danger zone for air quality.
Experts say real change will need long-term policy fixes if we want breathable air everywhere.