Air quality in Varanasi today
The official air quality index for Varanasi from the Central Pollution Control Board's monitors, updated every hour, and what it means for your day.
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On a Poor day like today
The biggest difference comes from breathing in less of it: a fitted N95 outside, and windows shut at the worst hours. LungsPure, one spoon at night, supports your lungs through the season alongside those steps, never instead of them.
This week
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One short morning message when your city turns Poor (AQI 201+) or worse. Nothing else.
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LungsPure: Ayurvedic support for lungs in city air →From government reports and studies
About Varanasi's air
- Varanasi is one of the cities in the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- In the government's Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2025 clean-air ranking, it placed joint 11th (with Raipur) among cities with more than 10 lakh people.
- An IIT Kanpur study for the UP Pollution Control Board estimated road dust at 84% of the city's PM10 emissions, vehicles at 9%, and hotels, restaurants, guest houses and banquet halls at 3% (2020 inventory).
- It measured average PM2.5 at about 265 µg/m³ in winter against about 116 µg/m³ in summer; the Indian 24-hour standard is 60.
- Soil and road dust made up about 30% of PM10 in summer but about 16% in winter, when burning-related carbon and particles formed from gases together made up about 46%.
Sources: IIT Kanpur for UP Pollution Control Board, source study of Varanasi (2024); MoEFCC/CPCB, Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2025 results.
Where Varanasi's air is measured
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has 4 continuous government monitors reporting to the Central Pollution Control Board. The reading above is the middle value across all of them that reported in the last six hours, and the range shows how much it varies across the city.
- Bhelupur
- Maldahiya
- Ardhali Bazar
- IESD Banaras Hindu University
The monitors are run by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board.
Nearest other cities with official monitors: Buxar (104 km), Sasaram (111 km), Prayagraj (112 km), Anpara (124 km). Distances are straight-line, between the cities' monitors.
What Varanasi's number means
India's air quality index runs from 0 to 500. It is worked out from 24-hour averages of the main pollutants, and the worst one sets the number. In most Indian cities that is fine dust, PM2.5 or PM10.
Bands and wording follow the Central Pollution Control Board's national air quality index.
Why an app may show a different number
- Different scale. Many apps use the US index, which treats the same fine dust as worse. We lead with the Indian index and show the US figure beside it.
- One monitor or many. Varanasi can have several government monitors, and a roadside one reads higher than one in a park. We show the middle reading and the range across the city.
- Hourly or daily. The official index uses 24-hour averages, so it moves more slowly than an app that shows the last hour.
On a poor air day
- Check the reading before an outdoor run or walk, and move it indoors or to a cleaner hour.
- Keep windows shut during the worst hours, often late evening and early morning when the air is still.
- Wear a well-fitted N95 mask in traffic or outdoors when the band is Poor or worse.
- Run an air purifier in the room you sleep in, if you have one.
- If you have a lung or heart condition, follow your doctor's advice for high-pollution days.
Common questions
What is a good air quality index in Varanasi?
On India's scale, 0 to 50 is Good and 51 to 100 is Satisfactory. From 101 the air starts to affect sensitive people, and from 201 most people feel it after long exposure.
How often is Varanasi's reading updated?
Every hour. The Central Pollution Control Board publishes readings from its continuous monitors, and this page shows the latest one.
Why do readings vary across Varanasi?
Each monitor measures the air around it, so busy roads, construction and industry read higher than quieter areas. That is why we show the middle reading of all live monitors along with the range.
Does LungsPure change the air quality?
No. Nothing you take changes the air you breathe. LungsPure is an Ayurvedic avaleha taken once a night to support your lungs. It does not replace masks, purifiers or your doctor's advice.
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