A new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has placed Delhi as the fourth most polluted city in India for the month of November, highlighting a troubling rise in toxic air across the National Capital Region. The report shows that Ghaziabad recorded the worst air quality in the country, followed by Noida, Bahadurgarh, and then Delhi. Other cities in the top ten list include Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut and Rohtak all of which experienced severe deterioration in PM2.5 levels compared to last year, except Delhi.
Despite an 80 to 90 per cent drop in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana over the last four years, 20 out of 29 NCR cities recorded higher pollution levels than the previous year. The CREA November 2025 Air Quality Snapshot, based on data from continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations, indicates a widespread decline in air quality across northern India.
Ghaziabad, with a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 µg/m³, violated the National Ambient Air Quality Standards every single day in November. The city reported 19 ‘very poor’ days, 10 ‘severe’ days, and one ‘poor’ day. Uttar Pradesh dominated the top ten most polluted cities, with six entries, followed by Haryana with three, and Delhi completing the list.
Delhi recorded an average PM2.5 level of 215 µg/m³ in November nearly twice the October average of 107 µg/m³. The capital experienced 23 ‘very poor’ air days, six ‘severe’ days, and only one ‘poor’ day, underscoring the intensity of the pollution crisis despite reduced farm fires. The overall contribution of stubble-burning to Delhi’s air pollution dropped to an average of seven per cent in November, compared with 20 per cent last year. Even the peak influence of stubble smoke was significantly lower, at 22 per cent compared to 38 per cent in 2024.
The report also notes that, except Bahadurgarh, none of the top ten cities recorded a single day within the safe daily NAAQS limit. Several other cities, including Charkhi Dadri, Bulandshahr, Jind, Muzaffarnagar, Gurgaon, Khurja, Bhiwani, Karnal, Yamunanagar and Faridabad, also failed to meet the daily standards throughout the month. Sonipat recorded ‘very poor’ air on 29 out of 30 days, while Bahadurgarh posted an average PM2.5 level of 215 µg/m³.
In Punjab, seven cities exceeded air quality standards, with Mandi Gobindgarh being the most polluted at 93 µg/m³. CREA analyst Manoj Kumar emphasised that the worsening air in NCR, despite reduced stubble-burning, points to dominant year-round pollution sources such as vehicles, industries, power plants, and other combustion activities. He warned that without targeted emission cuts in these sectors, cities will continue to breach air quality standards.
At the state level, Rajasthan reported the highest number of polluted cities in November, with 23 out of 34 exceeding NAAQS limits. Haryana followed with 22 of 25 cities, while Uttar Pradesh recorded 14 of 20 above the standard. High pollution levels were also observed in several other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab.