Pune Pollution: Pune’s Air Quality Worsens Amid Vehicle Surge and Unchecked Construction
In Brief:
Pune’s air quality has deteriorated in 2024–25 with fewer “good” days and an increase in “moderate” and “poor” air quality days.
The rise in vehicles, over 3 lakh new ones in the last year alone, and ongoing construction across the city are major contributors.
Pune Municipal Corporation’s annual environment report presents the data but avoids offering conclusions or action plans.
Pune, 30 July 2025: Pune’s air quality is steadily declining, largely due to a surge in vehicles and widespread construction. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) released its annual environmental report yesterday, revealing a noticeable drop in air quality when compared to the previous year.
The number of days classified as having “good” or “satisfactory” air quality has gone down, while “moderate” and “poor” air quality days have increased. Despite this, the civic body has not provided specific dates for the poor air quality days, nor has it drawn any conclusions from the findings.
The report shows that in 2023–24, Pune experienced just one day of “poor” air quality, whereas in 2024–25, that number rose to three. Still, the authorities have not disclosed which days these were. Although the report includes data on air, water, and energy conditions, it largely presents statistics without analysis or proposed solutions.
As of July 2025, the total number of vehicles registered in Pune stands at over 41.25 lakh, up from 38.63 lakh last year. This includes nearly 1.45 lakh new vehicles added in the first seven months of 2025 alone. The trend continues to lean heavily toward petrol and diesel vehicles, with fewer electric vehicle purchases, further worsening air pollution.
Alongside vehicular growth, intense construction activity in both central Pune and its suburbs contributes significantly to dust pollution. Measures to control this, such as dust suppression systems, remain inadequate. Moreover, open spaces and roadside garbage are often burned, increasing harmful particulate matter in the air.
Despite spending crores on environmental initiatives, the PMC has yet to demonstrate progress in reversing this worrying trend. The absence of actionable insights in the annual report raises concerns about the effectiveness of Pune’s environmental planning amid its rapid urban expansion.
