Gurugram records cleanest Oct air as AQI drops to 89

The improvement followed Thursday’s rainfall, which brought relief after more than two weeks of largely moderate to poor air quality

Published on: Oct 17, 2026, 07:40:10 IST

By Mihika Shah, Gurugram

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Gurugram residents enjoyed cleaner air on Friday as the city’s air quality index (AQI) dropped to 89, its lowest reading this October and the first time this month that air quality entered the ‘satisfactory’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer application.

The change in air quality coincided with a dip in night-time temperatures. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature fell by 3.7°C to 17.9°C, the lowest recorded in Gurugram so far this October. The maximum temperature stood at 28.9°C. (HT Photo)

The improvement followed Thursday’s rainfall, which brought relief after more than two weeks of largely moderate to poor air quality. The city’s AQI had stood at 137 on Thursday and 207 on October 2.

Two of Gurugram’s four monitoring stations recorded satisfactory air quality on Friday. Gwal Pahari reported the lowest AQI at 58, followed by Sector 51 at 76. Teri Gram and Vikas Sadan recorded readings of 108 and 114, respectively, both in the ‘moderate’ category.

The change in air quality coincided with a dip in night-time temperatures. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature fell by 3.7°C to 17.9°C, the lowest recorded in Gurugram so far this October. The maximum temperature stood at 28.9°C.

Gurugram also had some of the cleanest air in Delhi-NCR on Friday. Greater Noida recorded an AQI of 77, followed by Noida at 83, Gurugram at 89 and Delhi at 90. Ghaziabad recorded 103.

Despite Friday’s improvement, October has been relatively polluted for Gurugram. The city’s average AQI during the first 16 days stood at 162, compared with 147.8 during the corresponding period last year and 121.2 in 2024.

An IMD official cautioned that the improvement may be temporary, with Thursday’s rainfall and changing weather conditions likely contributing to the sharp decline in pollution levels.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mihika Shah
Mihika Shah is a Correspondent of the Gurugram bureau at the Hindustan Times, where she covers civic issues, residents' grievances, education and culture and art. She joined the Gurugram bureau in 2025, and has done her graduation from Delhi University followed by specialisation in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) in Chennai. While growing up, Mihika always aspired to be a journalist. She believes that journalism demands both passion and compassion. She thrives on breaking exclusive stories and covering issues which are often overlooked. Through her on-ground reporting, she seeks to understand Gurugram as a city beyond its high-rises and glass towers. She believes the best stories emerge from persistent reporting and looking beyond the obvious. Her reporting focuses on issues that directly impact everyday life, with an emphasis on public infrastructure and community concerns. She strives to bring observational depth to her reportage. She also manages the weekly column called Concern for Gurugram, which is published every Wednesday. She is a team player who values open communication and ideas. Her native place is Uttarakhand and her connection to mountains also draws her to stories on the environment. Beyond news reporting, Mihika loves talking and writing about cinema and pop culture. She also likes to travel and explore new places and cuisine.Read More

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