PM 2.5, PM 10 improve over 4 years: Survey

Kolkata: The city's air quality improved modestly between 2022 and 2025, with the city-wide average PM2.5 level falling from 50 µg/m³ to 45 µg/m³ and PM10 declining from 102 µg/m³ to 89 µg/m³, according to CAAQMS data analysed by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). However, the figures remained above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 40 µg/m³.Some monitoring stations reported worrying spikes, and progress remained uneven. Rabindra Sarobar emerged as the cleanest station in 2025 while Jadavpur recorded the sharpest PM2.5 spike at 59 µg/m³. The most significant long-term improvement was at Rabindra Bharati University, where PM2.5 levels dropped from 65 µg/m³ in 2022 to 38 µg/m³ in 2024, before inching up slightly to 40 µg/m³ in 2025. Bidhannagar showed a steady decline, from 48 µg/m³ in 2022 to 38 µg/m³ in 2025.
Rabindra Sarobar consistently recorded the lowest PM2.5 levels, maintaining 39 µg/m³ between 2022 and 2024, and improving to 33 µg/m³ in 2025 — the only station to fall well below the national standard last year.But some locations bucked the overall trend. Jadavpur saw PM2.5 rising to 59 µg/m³ in 2025 from 45 µg/m³ in 2024. Fort William and Victoria registered increases in 2025 after improvements in 2024.The trend for PM10 showed a clearer downward movement city-wide. Kolkata's annual average PM10 concentration fell from 102 µg/m³ in 2022 to 89 µg/m³ in 2025.Bidhannagar recorded one of the steepest PM10 declines, from 97 µg/m³ in 2022 to 76 µg/m³ in 2025. Rabindra Sarobar again emerged as the cleanest location, with PM10 levels dropping from 83 µg/m³ in 2022 to 66 µg/m³ in 2025. RBU saw a fall from 135 µg/m³ in 2022 to 88 µg/m³ in 2025 — nearly a 35% reduction over four years.Yet, some stations showed a reversal of gains. Jadavpur's PM10 rose sharply to 109 µg/m³ in 2025 after three consecutive years of decline. Fort William and Victoria also recorded higher levels in 2025 compared to 2024, indicating that dust control and emission management measures were not uniformly effective.CREA analyst Manoj Kumar said, "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."