5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Award 2026, Lucknow Tops, Rankings

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 has been released under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Lucknow topped the ranking among cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, scoring 198 out of 200 points. Indore secured second place, followed by Jabalpur.

The survey also highlighted improvement in particulate pollution across several Indian cities. Out of 130 cities, 108 recorded an improvement in PM10 levels compared with their 2017-18 baseline.

What is Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan?

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is an annual assessment conducted to evaluate the air quality management efforts of cities in India. It is implemented under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to encourage cities to take effective measures to control air pollution. The survey assesses actions related to vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activities, waste burning and industrial pollution. It also promotes healthy competition among cities and highlights successful clean-air practices that can be adopted by other cities.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 Ranking

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 Ranking assesses cities based on their air pollution control measures, air-quality improvement and implementation of clean-air action plans under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

Category I: Population Above 10 Lakh

Lucknow’s first-place position is particularly significant because it moved from 15th position in the previous assessment to first place.

Category II: Population 3-10 Lakh

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

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Why Did Lucknow Top Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026?

Lucknow topped the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 among cities with more than 10 lakh population, scoring 198 out of 200 points, due to its sustained efforts to control major sources of air pollution and improve urban air-quality management.

• Waste segregation and collection helped improve municipal waste management.
• Mechanised road sweeping helped reduce pollution caused by road dust.
• Electric vehicles were promoted to reduce vehicular emissions.
• Open waste burning was controlled to prevent additional particulate pollution.
• Green spaces were expanded to support a cleaner urban environment.
• Community participation at the local level strengthened clean-air initiatives.
• PM10 levels also declined significantly compared with the 2017–18 baseline.

PM10 Reduction in Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 highlighted a significant improvement in PM10 levels across several Indian cities. Out of 130 cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme, 108 cities recorded lower PM10 concentrations compared with the 2017–18 baseline. As many as 72 cities achieved more than 20% reduction, while 26 cities recorded reductions of more than 40%.

• 108 out of 130 cities showed 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 reduced its annual PM10 concentration substantially, from around 250 µg/m³ in 2017–18 to 137 µg/m³.
• Lucknow, Rourkela and Kalinga Nagar emerged among the leading cities for PM10 reduction in their respective population categories.
• The improvement has been supported by measures such as road-dust control, mechanised sweeping, cleaner mobility, waste management and better pollution monitoring.

What is the National Clean Air Programme?

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a government initiative launched in January 2019 to improve air quality in Indian cities by addressing major sources of air pollution through city-specific action plans, monitoring, enforcement and public participation.

• Launch: The NCAP was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Main Objective: It aims to achieve better air quality by reducing particulate pollution and strengthening pollution-control measures across cities.
• Focus on PM10 and PM2.5: The programme gives particular importance to reducing Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), which are major contributors to poor air quality.
• Target for Pollution Reduction: The revised NCAP framework targets 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.
• City-Specific Action Plans: Cities prepare City Action Plans (CAPs) based on their local pollution sources and environmental conditions.
• Control of Vehicular Pollution: Measures include promoting public transport, cleaner fuels, electric mobility and better traffic management to reduce vehicle emissions.
• Road Dust Management: Cities undertake measures such as mechanised sweeping, paving of roads and controlling dust from unpaved surfaces.
• Control of Industrial Emissions: The programme promotes better monitoring and compliance with emission standards for industries.
• Construction and Demolition Dust: Cities are encouraged to adopt measures to control dust generated by construction and demolition activities.
• Waste Management: Improving waste collection, segregation, processing and disposal helps reduce pollution caused by open waste burning.
• Strengthening Monitoring: NCAP supports the expansion and improvement of air-quality monitoring systems to generate better pollution data.
• Performance-Based Approach: Cities are assessed based on their air-quality improvement and implementation of pollution-control measures, encouraging healthy competition among urban areas.
• Public Participation: The programme promotes awareness, citizen participation and behavioural changes to support cleaner air.

Major Sources of Air Pollution in Indian Cities

Air pollution in Indian cities comes from several transport, industrial, construction, waste and natural sources. The contribution of each source varies from city to city depending on local activities, weather conditions and urban development.

1. Vehicular Emissions: Cars, buses, trucks, two-wheelers and other vehicles release pollutants such as PM2.5, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO), especially in areas with heavy traffic.
2. Road Dust: Dust from unpaved roads, traffic movement, damaged road surfaces and roadside soil is an important source of particulate pollution, particularly PM10.
3. Construction and Demolition Activities: Construction sites, demolition work and the transportation of construction materials can generate large amounts of dust and particulate matter.
4. Industrial Emissions: Factories, power plants, brick kilns and other industrial units can release particulate matter, sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides and other pollutants.
5. Open Burning of Waste: Burning municipal waste, plastics and other materials in the open releases harmful gases and fine particulate matter into the atmosphere.
6. Biomass and Solid-Fuel Burning: Burning wood, crop residue, coal and other solid fuels for cooking, heating or agricultural purposes can contribute significantly to air pollution.
7. Diesel Generator Sets: Diesel generators used during power interruptions or at commercial and construction sites emit particulate matter and gaseous pollutants.
8. Agricultural Residue Burning: Crop-residue burning, particularly during certain seasons, can release large quantities of smoke and particulate matter and affect air quality in nearby cities.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 Significance

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 is significant as it evaluates how effectively Indian cities are implementing measures to control air pollution and improve air quality. It encourages cities to adopt better pollution-control practices and provides recognition to those showing strong performance.

• Encourages healthy competition: The ranking motivates cities to compete for better air-quality management and improve their performance.
• Measures city-level efforts: It assesses actions taken to control vehicular emissions, road dust, construction dust, industrial pollution and waste burning.
• Supports NCAP: The survey strengthens the implementation of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) by tracking progress at the city level.
• Highlights successful practices: Cities performing well can provide best practices and innovative solutions that other cities can adopt.
• Focuses on measurable improvement: The assessment considers improvements in air pollution levels, particularly PM10 concentrations, along with pollution-control measures.
• Promotes better urban management: It encourages improvements in waste management, road cleaning, public transport and dust control.
• Strengthens public awareness: Rankings and clean-air initiatives increase awareness about the importance of clean air and pollution reduction.
• Encourages local participation: Urban local bodies, government agencies and citizens are encouraged to work together for cleaner and healthier cities.