Air quality in Bhopal
How bad is the air in Bhopal?
Bhopal’s 2025 average of AQI 112 is Moderate on the CPCB scale, and the median day was 112. 207 days crossed 100 (Moderate or worse) and 29 crossed 200 (Poor or worse).
The peak was AQI 302 on 23 November 2025. Coarse dust (PM10) set the index on 86% of days.
When Bhopal’s air is worst
November is the worst month at a mean of AQI 189; July the cleanest at ~53. That is the post-monsoon pattern: cooler nights lower the mixing height, winds drop, and whatever the city emits stays over it.
Plan around the profile, not the average: a purifier sized for November covers the rest of the year with headroom, and windows can be opened in July.
Pollution in Bhopal: what drives it
Across Madhya Pradesh, the usual drivers of poor air are vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial emissions and waste burning. CPCB bulletins name coarse dust (PM10) as the prominent pollutant on 86% of 2025's days.
- vehicle exhaust
- construction dust
- industrial emissions
- waste burning
How Bhopal compares
Among the 62 cities we map, Bhopal has the 16th highest annual AQI, against a median of 94 across those cities.
Elsewhere in Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior averaged AQI 123, Jabalpur 84 and Indore 77.
See the full ranking on the India Air Quality Index by city.
Do you need an air purifier in Bhopal?
Verdict
For the worst months, yes — Bhopal is a seasonal case.
207 days in 2025 were Moderate or worse, concentrated around November. A single well-sized unit in the bedroom, run through those months, covers most of the exposure; the rest of the year it is optional unless someone at home has asthma or allergies.
What actually works
- Size by volume, not the box. Coverage claims assume ~2 air changes an hour; a November night wants 5.
- Bedroom first. Eight closed-door hours a night is where a purifier makes its measurable difference.
- Watch the live number. On Good and Satisfactory days, ventilate; on Poor days, close up and run the unit at the speed that delivers its CADR.
06 · The other half
Water in Bhopal
Groundwater near Bhopal averages ~500 mg/L TDS on CGWB monitoring — high on the BIS scale. The same government-data report, for what you drink.
Air
AQI 112
Moderate
Water
500 mg/L
TDS · High
Bhopal air — questions
What is the AQI in Bhopal today?
Today's figure comes from CPCB's live station feed and is shown at the top of this page, updated hourly when the feed is reachable. For context, Bhopal averaged AQI 112 across 2025 and peaked at 302 on 23 November 2025, so a single day's reading should be judged against that range.
How bad is air pollution in Bhopal?
Bhopal's 2025 average of AQI 112 sits in CPCB's "Moderate" band. 29 days were Poor, Very Poor or Severe, and 157 days were Good or Satisfactory, out of 364 bulletin days.
Which month has the worst air quality in Bhopal?
November, with a monthly average of AQI 189 in 2025. July was the cleanest at ~53. The post-monsoon build-up, cooler nights and a lower mixing height trap pollution from October onwards.
Is the air in Bhopal safe to breathe?
Not by CPCB's own scale: an annual AQI of 112 is "Moderate", which CPCB associates with breathing discomfort on prolonged exposure for people with lung or heart disease, children and older adults. The 24-hour PM2.5 standard (60 µg/m³) is roughly where AQI passes 100.
Do I need an air purifier in Bhopal?
For the worst months, yes — Bhopal is a seasonal case. 207 days in 2025 were Moderate or worse, concentrated around November. A single well-sized unit in the bedroom, run through those months, covers most of the exposure; the rest of the year it is optional unless someone at home has asthma or allergies.
Where does Bhopal's air pollution come from?
Across Madhya Pradesh, the usual drivers of poor air are vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial emissions and waste burning. CPCB bulletins name coarse dust (PM10) as the prominent pollutant on 86% of 2025's days.
Where does this air quality data come from?
From the Central Pollution Control Board's daily AQI bulletin, published at 4 PM as a 24-hour average for each city with continuous monitoring stations. This page aggregates 364 bulletin days for Bhopal in 2025, drawn from 3 stations. The live figure uses the same CPCB station network through the Government of India's open-data feed.
Air quality in other cities
Data sources
- CPCB Daily AQI Bulletin (4 PM, 24-hour average), 2025 — city-level National AQI, prominent pollutant and station counts
- CPCB National Air Quality Index (2014) — six-band scale used for all categories
- NAAQS 2009 (24-hour PM2.5 60 µg/m³, PM10 100 µg/m³) — the concentrations that mark the Satisfactory/Moderate boundary
- Live readings: CPCB real-time station feed via data.gov.in, refreshed hourly.
Primary dataset: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) National Air Quality Index, Government of India.
Disclaimer: Figures are city-level averages of the CPCB daily AQI bulletin for the year shown and may differ from the air at your address, which depends on traffic, construction and the nearest station. This page is general information, not medical advice; for respiratory or cardiac conditions consult a qualified professional. Any purifier guidance is general sizing advice, not a product recommendation.