AQI spikes as traffic, calm winds worsen pollution in Patna

Patna: After over a week of relatively cleaner air in the “moderate” category, Patna witnessed a sharp deterioration in air quality on Tuesday with the city’s overall air quality index (AQI) rising to 202, placing it in the “poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin issued at 4pm. A day earlier, the AQI stood at 130.

The sudden decline has coincided with typical winter conditions, including falling temperatures, calm wind patterns and overcast skies, which have trapped pollutants close to the ground. Emissions from vehicles, road dust, construction activities and biomass burning have collectively contributed to the worsening air quality. As per CPCB norms, air in the poor category can cause breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure, with children, elderly persons and those suffering from respiratory ailments being particularly vulnerable.




The city’s AQI is calculated by averaging readings from six air quality monitoring stations operated by the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB). On Tuesday, three stations recorded values in the poor range. Patna City registered the highest AQI at 253, followed by Muradpur at 224 and Samanpura at 205. The Planetarium station reported an AQI of 195, while Rajbanshi Nagar recorded 167 and the DRM office in Danapur reported the lowest reading at 164.

According to BSPCB data, this was the fifth occasion in Dec 2025 when Patna’s air quality slipped into the poor category. The other instances were recorded on Dec 8, Dec 9, Dec 12 and Dec 13, when AQI values ranged between 214 and 226. During these days, particulate matter, especially PM10 and PM2.5, remained the dominant pollutants.

Explaining the spike, BSPCB chairman Devendra Kumar Shukla attributed it mainly to traffic congestion and changes in wind direction. “Two main factors are at play: increased vehicular congestion and the shift in wind direction. The morning north-westerly wind has now turned westerly, which should help improve the situation. If the westerly wind continues through the night and into the morning, conditions will get better as fewer external pollutants arrive from that direction. North-westerly winds, on the other hand, carry significant pollution from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and beyond,” he said.

Shukla said pollution levels rose sharply at three stations due to heavy traffic congestion. “Similar patterns are being observed in other parts of Bihar, including Ara, Biharsharif and Hajipur. Higher readings are linked to traffic issues, while several other towns remain in the moderate category,” he said.

He added that thermal inversion had so far played a limited role due to prevailing wind conditions. “Inversion effects will become more prominent in the coming 4-5 days as temperatures drop further,” Shukla said.

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