Top-10 Indian Cities with the Highest AQI by October 2025, Check the List

Air pollution has become a serious concern in many Indian cities, especially during the festive and winter seasons. The Air Quality Index (AQI) helps measure how clean or polluted the air is. Today, several major cities are recording very poor air quality levels, affecting health and daily life. Let’s look at the top 10 cities with the highest AQI in India today.

What is AQI and Why it Matters?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a system that measures how polluted the air is.

• Good (0–50): Clean and safe air
• Satisfactory (51–100): Acceptable air quality
• Moderately Polluted (101–200): May cause minor breathing discomfort
• Poor (201–300): Harmful for sensitive groups
• Very Poor (301–400): Can cause health issues for most people
• Severe (401–500): Dangerous to breathe, affects everyone

The higher the AQI, the more unsafe the air becomes for breathing.

Top-10 Indian Cities with the Highest  AQI by October 2025

According to the latest data from aqi.in, several cities in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi NCR are recording alarmingly high AQI levels. These cities currently have some of the worst air quality in the world.

Here is the list of top-10 Indian cities with the highest AQI by October 2025:

Rank	City	AQI	Status
1.	Nagli Bahrampur (Uttar Pradesh)	359	Severe
2.	Hapur (Uttar Pradesh)	324	Severe
3.	Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh)	324	Severe
4.	Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh)	322	Severe
5.	Sahranpur (Uttar Pradesh)	321	Severe
6.	Begampur (Uttar Pradesh)	310	Severe
7.	Noida (Uttar Pradesh)	307	Severe
8.	New Delhi	297	Unhealthy
9.	Pithampur (Madhya Pradesh)	293	Unhealthy
10.	Ludhiana (Punjab)	293	Unhealthy

Why Pollution Rises During Winter?

There are several reasons why air quality worsens in northern India during this season:

• Stubble burning: Farmers burn leftover crop residue, releasing large amounts of smoke.
• Low wind speed: Pollutants stay trapped near the surface.
• Vehicle and factory emissions: Add harmful gases and dust to the air.
• Construction dust: Ongoing urban projects contribute to particulate pollution.

Together, these factors cause a thick layer of smog to form, reducing visibility and making the air hazardous.

How Poor Air Quality Affects Healthy?

Breathing in polluted air can cause several short-term and long-term health issues, such as:

• Coughing, sore throat, or burning eyes
• Breathing trouble, especially for people with asthma or bronchitis
• Fatigue, headaches, or chest pain
• Long exposure may lead to heart and lung diseases

Children, pregnant women, and elderly people are at higher risk during this period.

Healthy and Safety Tips

If you live in a high-AQI zone, take the following precautions to stay safe:

• Stay indoors as much as possible, especially during early morning and night.
• Wear N95 masks when stepping out.
• Avoid outdoor workouts like jogging or cycling.
• Use air purifiers at home if possible.
• Keep windows closed during peak pollution hours.
• Drink plenty of water to help flush out toxins.