Air quality dips across north India as winter nears; Delhi among most polluted cities

According to AQI monitoring agency aqi.in, the air people are breathing in Uttar Pradesh is as harmful as smoking 4.1 cigarettes a day.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | October 18, 2025 12:03 PM IST

1 min read

According to monitoring agencies, the risk of asthma symptoms is high when the AQI is in the Unhealthy range (150–301).

As cooler days set in across India, especially in the northern states — air quality levels are beginning to deteriorate once again. The Air Quality Index (AQI), which measures the concentration of harmful pollutants in the air, has dipped sharply in several major cities.

According to AQI monitoring agency aqi.in, the air people are breathing in Uttar Pradesh is as harmful as smoking 4.1 cigarettes a day.

Top 10 highest AQI cities in India:

City	AQI	Temp.	Hum.
Ahmedabad	177	26°C	54%
Bangalore	47	26°C	79%
Chennai	76	25°C	94%
Hyderabad	129	27°C	66%
Kolkata	180	30°C	66%
Mumbai	136	31°C	59%
New Delhi	323	26°C	65%
Pune	160	28°C	57%

These were cities with the highest AQI in India at 12 pm.

With air quality worsening, residents of Delhi–NCR and other affected cities are advised to wear masks and stay indoors as much as possible to avoid exposure to toxic air. Health experts recommend avoiding outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, or exercising, as fine particulate pollutants can enter deep into the lungs and bloodstream.

According to monitoring agencies, the risk of asthma symptoms is high when the AQI is in the Unhealthy range (150–301).

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