Bangalore — AQI Trends

Year-over-year AQI trajectory for Bangalore (2016–2024). Based on CPCB station data, 2016–present.

2016: AQI 1002024: AQI 74-26.0% changeWorst year 2016 · Best 2020

Karnataka · Live Bangalore AQI →

Bangalore — annual AQI 2016–2024

0501002016201720182019202020212022202320241006879826570797174

Year × month heatmap

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
2024
100
90
105
80
67
50
51
56
57
73
85
75
2023
90
99
79
79
60
50
47
59
45
85
75
83
2022
82
95
101
88
72
60
65
56
60
83
91
87
2021
82
85
83
87
52
55
53
58
57
72
67
90
2020
87
88
85
56
60
47
39
48
49
64
69
83
2019
111
103
122
115
94
59
55
49
59
63
83
73
2018
91
79
96
92
77
61
54
55
68
83
92
113
2017
71
76
68
71
58
50
64
—
59
72
69
95
2016
129
152
132
124
82
53
47
54
55
93
91
81

Worst single days on record

  • 2024-01-10Silk Board (KSPCB)500
  • 2023-02-19Jayanagar 5th Block (KSPCB)500
  • 2023-02-18Jayanagar 5th Block (KSPCB)500
  • 2016-05-21Peenya (CPCB)500
  • 2016-04-09BWSSB Kadabesanahalli (CPCB)500
  • 2016-04-08BWSSB Kadabesanahalli (CPCB)500
  • 2016-02-16BWSSB Kadabesanahalli (CPCB)500
  • 2016-02-15BWSSB Kadabesanahalli (CPCB)500
  • 2023-08-25Bapuji Nagar (KSPCB)486
  • 2019-09-17BWSSB Kadabesanahalli (CPCB)454

What the numbers say

Overview

Bangalore's AQI moved from 100 in 2016 to 74 in 2024 — a fall of 26.0% over 8 years. The long-run trend is roughly stable, with a regression slope of -1.8 AQI points per year.

The data story

The worst recorded year in Bangalore was 2016 at AQI 100, while the best was 2020 at AQI 65. The city has posted 6.8% of all measured days above AQI 200 (the Poor threshold), and its worst recorded single day hit 500 on 10 Jan 2024.

Why this pattern

Bangalore's trend has been stable — neither clearly worsening nor clearly improving. That stability often masks underlying growth in emissions being offset by cleaner vehicle technology or weather variability. The NCAP era from 2019 onward is the key policy backdrop; stability here means targets have not yet translated into measurable ground-level change.

What to do with this

For planners and residents, the trend matters as much as today's number. A worsening city needs aggressive source control and personal protection investments like indoor purifiers. An improving city rewards continued policy pressure but still requires caution during peak months. Use the live AQI page for day-to-day decisions and this chart for multi-year context. Year-over-year change of more than 10% in either direction is typically real signal, not noise.

Frequently asked questions

More Bangalore analytics

Seasonal patterns →CPCB stations →Pollution health impact →WHO/EPA benchmark →Live Bangalore AQI →