Lucknow has ranked first among cities with populations above 10 lakh in the 2026 Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan, as the government reported improvement in particulate pollution levels across 108 of the 130 cities covered by the National Clean Air Programme.
Rourkela led the category for cities with populations between three lakh and 10 lakh, while Kalinganagar topped the group for cities below three lakh. Ten cities were recognised across the three population categories after assessment under the national clean-air framework.
The rankings evaluate action taken by cities on road dust, solid-waste management, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, construction and demolition waste, diesel-generator and commercial emissions, public communication and other locally relevant sources.
The assessment process begins with city self-evaluation and includes approval by state-level monitoring committees, evaluation by the Central Pollution Control Board and field verification by independent committees. This is intended to examine implementation rather than rely only on reported plans.
The 2026 exercise also extended recognition to the ward level. More than 7,400 wards were covered, reflecting an effort to measure neighbourhood-level action and make municipal agencies more directly accountable for local air-quality interventions.
Ward 70 in Lucknow ranked first in the category for wards with populations above 30,000. Wards 30 and 36 in Bhubaneswar led the category covering populations between 10,000 and 30,000, while Ward 13 in Rourkela topped the group below 10,000.
The latest National Clean Air Programme assessment compared PM10 concentrations in 2025–26 with the 2017–18 baseline. It found that 108 of the 130 covered cities had recorded improvement.
Seventy-two cities achieved reductions of more than 20 per cent, while 26 recorded reductions exceeding 40 per cent. Fourteen cities met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the measured parameter.
PM10 refers to airborne particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less. It can arise from road dust, construction, combustion, industry and waste burning, and sustained exposure is associated with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular effects.
The government has provided ₹16,425 crore in performance-linked grants to the 130 programme cities as critical-gap funding for pollution-control measures. The programme covers cities across 24 states and Union Territories and allows each city to prepare measures suited to its emission sources.
A compendium of practices adopted by cities and pollution-control boards has also been released. It covers road-dust suppression, transport emissions, industrial control, waste management, prevention of open burning, greening, technology and public outreach so that effective approaches can be replicated elsewhere.
The improvements indicate progress but do not remove the need for sustained monitoring and enforcement. Seasonal conditions, weather and pollution transported across municipal boundaries can affect readings, while durable gains require action throughout the year. The value of the rankings will therefore depend on whether recognised practices produce continuing reductions and cleaner air for residents.
