Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Madhya Pradesh Cities Rank Among India’s Clean-Air Leaders
A national survey ranked cities based on how well they are managing air pollution.
Indore came second, Jabalpur came third and Bhopal came fourth.
Bhopal also received recognition for Ward 60.
The awards were presented in Delhi.
Bhopal improved its ranking compared with last year.
However, people in Bhopal still faced dusty roads and poor air readings in some areas.
Bhopal’s PM10 pollution decreased slightly from 113 to 110 micrograms per cubic metre.
Even after this improvement, the level was still higher than the national limit of 60.
This means the city received a good survey ranking while still needing to reduce pollution.
Indore ranked second, Jabalpur third and Bhopal fourth in the 2026 Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan.
Bhopal scored 192 points, improving from sixth place and 191 points last year.
Bhopal’s Ward 60 was also selected in the survey’s ward category.
Indore and Jabalpur were recognized among cities with populations above 10 lakh.
Bhopal’s annual PM10 level fell from 113 to 110 micrograms per cubic metre but remained above the national standard.
- Who
- The Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry conducted the survey; cities including Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal were ranked.
- What
- The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 ranked three Madhya Pradesh cities among India’s top five for clean-air performance.
- When
- The awards were presented on Monday; the article compares pollution data from 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- Where
- The awards ceremony took place at Indira Environment Bhawan in Delhi, while the rankings covered 130 Indian cities.
- Why
- Cities were ranked using various air-quality and pollution-management parameters.
Recognition and improvement
Continuing pollution concerns
Bhopal’s clean-air ranking
Recognition and improvement
Bhopal rose to fourth place with 192 points, and Ward 60 received recognition in the ward category.
Continuing pollution concerns
The city’s air was still described as above prescribed pollution limits, while TT Nagar recorded a “poor” air-quality reading.
Pollution reduction
Recognition and improvement
Bhopal’s annual average PM10 concentration declined from 113 to 110 micrograms per cubic metre, a reduction of about 3%.
Continuing pollution concerns
The 110 micrograms per cubic metre level remained nearly 83% above the national annual standard of 60 micrograms.
Award versus street conditions
Recognition and improvement
Bhopal Municipal Corporation representatives accepted an award for clean air in Ward 60.
Continuing pollution concerns
The report said dust affected roads across the city, including roads in the awarded ward, and commuters near New Market and TT Nagar struggled with dust.
- Top-ranked Madhya Pradesh cities
- Indore: second; Jabalpur: third; Bhopal: fourth
- Bhopal score
- 192 points in 2026, compared with 191 points and sixth place last year
- Recognized ward
- Ward 60 in Bhopal was selected in the ward category
- Survey coverage
- 130 cities across India
- Bhopal PM10 level
- 110 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024-25, down from 113 in 2023-24
- National PM10 standard
- 60 micrograms per cubic metre annually
- Other Madhya Pradesh rankings
- Gwalior 39th, Ujjain 16th, Sagar 21st and Dewas 7th in their respective population categories