A visit to Delhi on the heels of Diwali often leads to the onset of a cough. This is because the capital reports the worst air quality index — AQI — at this time, with city-goers bursting crackers late into the night. This past year, however, saw Mumbai superseding even Delhi in terms of poor AQI during certain months. In October, for instance, Mumbai’s AQI breached the 200-mark, a level which is considered ‘poor’ and causes severe health hazards.
Come winter, the AQI across several Indian cities went from ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ and ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’. The AQI becomes worse in the cold season because the PM2.5 (particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter) pollution levels tend to rise 10 times more than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual limit. This is because the dense, cold air traps the pollutants and keeps them away instead of whisking them away.
According to the Central Control Room for Air Quality Management, a city with an AQI of between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101-150 is ‘moderately polluted’, 151-200 is ‘poor’, 201-300 is ‘very poor’ and 301-500 is ‘severe’.
With Delhi (313), Mumbai (231), Kolkata (344), Patna (274) and Jaipur (271) currently falling in the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories, travel to these cities comes with a chance of respiratory illnesses. Instead, give your lungs a breather by visiting these other Indian cities and towns with AQIs between 0-50.
AQI score: 8 Indian cities with the best air quality index that you can visit actually to breathe a little
1. Aizawl, Mizoram AQI – 38
At 18°C and an AQI of 38, Aizawl, with its picturesque hill stations, clear-blue lakes, cascading waterfalls and dense forests, is a nature lover’s dream.
2. Imphal, Manipur
AQI – 38
