Patna’s air quality index (AQI) climbed to 280 on Monday, its highest reading of 2026, as pollution worsened across Bihar after Diwali. Patna City recorded an AQI of 356, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, while the deterioration was also reported in Hajipur, Bettiah, Ara and Muzaffarpur.
According to Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) monitoring data recorded at 4pm on Monday, Samanpura registered an AQI of 294. The readings at DRM Office, Danapur, and Rajbansi Nagar stood at 284 each, while Planetarium recorded 273. Muradpur reported a comparatively lower AQI of 189.
The latest reading marked a steep rise in Patna’s pollution levels over three days. The city’s AQI was 150 on Saturday and increased to 186 at 4pm on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin, before reaching 280 on Monday. It was the third time in 2026 that Patna entered the ‘poor’ air quality category after remaining below that level for nearly 10 months.
The pollution increase followed Diwali and came amid emissions from firecrackers, vehicular traffic, road dust and construction activity. However, a senior BSPCB official attributed the sudden spike largely to unfavourable meteorological conditions. The official said firecracker use appeared to be comparatively lower this year than in the previous year, but the festival coincided with the onset of winter.
“The inversion layer has descended, trapping pollutants closer to the ground and increasing their concentration. Dew formation and changing weather conditions have also contributed to the rise in AQI,” the official said, according to the report.
The deterioration extended beyond the state capital. Hajipur recorded an AQI of 335, followed by Bettiah at 304, Ara at 290 and Muzaffarpur at 286. Siwan recorded 256, Begusarai 228 and Buxar 202. Bhagalpur, Gopalganj, Motihari and Biharsharif each reported an AQI of 190.
Other reported readings included 175 in Araria, 165 in Rajgir, 161 in Gaya, 155 in Jamui, 154 in Chhapra, 153 in Darbhanga and 148 in Kishanganj. Aurangabad recorded 139, Katihar 136, Saharsa 128, Purnia 124 and Munger 119. Sasaram, with an AQI of 87, recorded the cleanest air among the listed locations.
The concentration of pollutants has raised concerns for children, older people and residents with respiratory or cardiac conditions. Poor air quality can cause breathing discomfort and aggravate existing respiratory problems. With winter approaching, low temperatures, calm winds and atmospheric inversion can slow the dispersal of pollutants and keep them concentrated near ground level.
The readings have renewed attention on the urban sources that continue to contribute to Bihar’s air pollution beyond festival emissions, including road dust, traffic and construction activity. The immediate monitoring data, however, does not separate the precise contribution of each source. The BSPCB’s stated explanation places the latest spike within the combined effect of post-Diwali emissions and weather conditions that limited pollutant dispersion.
