After New Yr’s high, AQI improves but stays ‘poor’
Times of India | 3 January 2026
Kolkata: The city recorded a slight improvement in air quality on Friday, offering a brief respite after a New Year's Day of severe pollution. Although air quality levels across all monitoring stations continued to remain in the ‘poor' category, two key locations — Jadavpur and Salt Lake — showed marginal recovery, improving from ‘very poor' to ‘poor' during the course of the day.
Data from the city's air quality monitoring network revealed a gradual decline in the air quality index (AQI) at most stations between morning and evening. "We intensified mitigation measures to curb dust and particulate matter. However, the improvement is marginal and fragile," a senior PCB official said.
At Ballygunge, AQI readings showed a slow but steady reduction, falling from 221 at 6 am to 213 by 6 pm. Fort William recorded a more noticeable improvement, with AQI levels dropping from 203 in the early morning to 179 by evening.
At Salt Lake, one of the worst-affected areas earlier this week, the AQI stood at 303 at 6 am but dipped to 278 by 6 pm. A similar trend was observed at Jadavpur, where AQI levels reduced sharply from 304 in the morning to 176 in the evening.
Other parts of the city also registered modest gains. Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) recorded AQI levels dropping from 239 at 6 am to 198 by evening while Rabindra Sarobar saw a decline from 198 to 176 over the same period. The Victoria Memorial area, however, continued to remain under stress, with AQI levels hovering in the upper ‘poor' range, reducing from 290 in the morning to 270 by evening.
Experts cautioned that despite the slight relief, air quality remains a serious concern. Prolonged exposure to ‘poor' air can still cause respiratory discomfort, particularly among children, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions.