Kolkata Air Quality Shows Gradual Improvement, But Challenges Persist
According to an analysis of CAAQMS data by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Kolkata's air quality has experienced a modest improvement between 2022 and 2025. The city-wide average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) declined from 50 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) to 45 µg/m³ over this period. Similarly, the level of coarser particulate matter (PM10) decreased from 102 µg/m³ to 89 µg/m³. Despite these positive trends, both pollutants remained above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 40 µg/m³, indicating that significant work is still required to achieve healthy air quality levels.
Mixed Results Across Monitoring Stations Reveal Uneven Progress
The data reveals a complex picture with substantial variation across different locations in the city. While some areas showed consistent improvement, others experienced worrying reversals. Rabindra Sarobar emerged as the cleanest monitoring station in 2025, with PM2.5 levels improving to 33 µg/m³, making it the only station to fall well below the national standard last year. This location had consistently recorded the lowest PM2.5 levels, maintaining 39 µg/m³ between 2022 and 2024 before achieving this notable improvement.
In contrast, Jadavpur recorded the sharpest PM2.5 spike, with levels rising to 59 µg/m³ in 2025 from 45 µg/m³ in 2024. Other locations like Fort William and Victoria also registered increases in 2025 after showing improvements in the previous year, suggesting that emission control measures have not been uniformly effective across the metropolitan area.
Significant Long-Term Improvements at Specific Locations
Several monitoring stations demonstrated remarkable progress over the four-year period. The most significant long-term improvement was observed at Rabindra Bharati University, where PM2.5 levels dropped dramatically from 65 µg/m³ in 2022 to 38 µg/m³ in 2024, before experiencing a slight increase to 40 µg/m³ in 2025. Bidhannagar showed a steady decline, with PM2.5 concentrations falling from 48 µg/m³ in 2022 to 38 µg/m³ in 2025.
The trend for PM10 pollution showed a clearer downward movement city-wide. Bidhannagar recorded one of the steepest PM10 declines, falling from 97 µg/m³ in 2022 to 76 µg/m³ in 2025. Rabindra Sarobar again emerged as the cleanest location for PM10, with levels dropping from 83 µg/m³ in 2022 to 66 µg/m³ in 2025. Rabindra Bharati University saw an impressive nearly 35% reduction in PM10 over four years, falling from 135 µg/m³ in 2022 to 88 µg/m³ in 2025.
Analyst Highlights Need for Targeted Interventions
CREA analyst Manoj Kumar commented on the findings, stating, "The data point to gradual progress in controlling particulate pollution across Kolkata, particularly in reducing PM10. However, the stagnation of citywide PM2.5 levels since 2024 and the spike at specific stations highlight the need for targeted interventions."
Kumar's analysis underscores that while overall trends are moving in the right direction, the persistence of pollution hotspots and the city's failure to meet national standards for PM2.5 indicate that current measures require reinforcement and more precise implementation. The reversal of gains at stations like Jadavpur, where PM10 rose sharply to 109 µg/m³ in 2025 after three consecutive years of decline, suggests that dust control and emission management strategies need to be strengthened and consistently applied across all areas of the city.
The CREA analysis provides valuable insights into Kolkata's air quality trajectory, revealing both encouraging improvements and persistent challenges that demand continued attention from policymakers and environmental authorities.
