Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026

The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 has been released under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to assess the efforts made by Indian cities to control air pollution and improve air quality.

Among cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, Lucknow topped the ranking with a score of 198 out of 200, followed by Indore and Jabalpur.

What is Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan?

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is an annual assessment of air-quality management efforts undertaken by cities across India. It is implemented under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and encourages cities to adopt effective measures to reduce air pollution.

The assessment covers measures related to vehicular emissions, road dust, construction and demolition activities, waste burning and industrial pollution. It also promotes healthy competition among cities and identifies successful practices that can be replicated elsewhere.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 Ranking

Category I: Population Above 10 Lakh

Lucknow secured the first position with a score of 198, followed by Indore (197) and Jabalpur (195).

Category II: Population 3–10 Lakh

Rourkela topped this category with a score of 198.5, followed by Firozabad and other high-performing cities.

Category III: Population Below 3 Lakh

Kalinga Nagar emerged as the top-performing city with a score of 198.5. Angul, Talcher, Eluru and Haldia were among the other leading cities.

Why Did Lucknow Top the Ranking?

Lucknow improved remarkably, moving from 15th position in the previous assessment to 1st position in 2026. Its performance was supported by sustained efforts to address major sources of urban air pollution.

The city strengthened waste segregation and collection, adopted mechanised road sweeping to control road dust and promoted electric vehicles to reduce vehicular emissions. It also took measures to control open waste burning, expand green spaces and encourage community participation in clean-air initiatives.

PM10 Reduction

The survey highlighted significant improvement in PM10 pollution across Indian cities. Out of 130 cities, 108 cities recorded an improvement in PM10 levels compared with the 2017–18 baseline.

• 108 out of 130 cities recorded improvement in PM10 levels.

• 72 cities achieved more than 20% reduction in PM10 concentration.

• 26 cities recorded more than 40% reduction.

• 14 cities achieved the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM10.

• Lucknow's annual PM10 concentration declined from around 250 µg/m³ in 2017–18 to 137 µg/m³.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

About NCAP

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched in January 2019 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to improve air quality in Indian cities.

Its primary focus is on reducing particulate pollution, particularly PM10 and PM2.5, through city-specific action plans, improved monitoring, enforcement and public participation.

Pollution Reduction Target

The revised NCAP framework aims for up to 40% reduction in PM10 concentration or achievement of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by 2025–26, compared with the 2017–18 baseline.

Major Components of NCAP

The programme promotes City Action Plans (CAPs) based on local pollution sources. Key interventions include cleaner mobility, public transport, electric vehicles, road-dust management, industrial emission control, construction-dust management, waste management and stronger air-quality monitoring.

It also follows a performance-based approach, encouraging cities to demonstrate measurable improvements in air quality.

Major Sources of Air Pollution in Indian Cities

Vehicular Emissions

Cars, buses, trucks and two-wheelers emit pollutants such as PM2.5, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO), particularly in areas with heavy traffic.

Road Dust

Road dust from unpaved roads, damaged surfaces, roadside soil and vehicular movement is an important source of PM10 pollution.

Construction and Demolition

Construction sites, demolition activities and transportation of construction materials generate significant quantities of dust and particulate matter.

Industrial Pollution

Industries, power plants, brick kilns and other industrial units can emit particulate matter, SO₂, NOx and other pollutants.

Waste and Biomass Burning

Open burning of municipal waste, plastics, crop residues, wood and other solid fuels releases particulate matter and harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Other Sources

Diesel generator sets and other combustion-based activities also contribute to urban air pollution.

Significance of Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026

The survey provides a mechanism to assess city-level efforts and measurable improvements in air quality. It encourages healthy competition among cities and helps identify effective pollution-control practices.

It also strengthens the implementation of NCAP, promotes better urban waste and road-dust management, encourages cleaner mobility, and increases public awareness and community participation in tackling air pollution.