India, Oct. 8 -- The average air quality index (AQI) in Gurugram through September was the worst since 2023, with experts attributing the deterioration to low rainfall, road dust, waste burning, and construction activity.

According to an analysis of official data, the average AQI through September in Gurugram was 114.8 this year, up sharply from 91.1 in 2024 and 84.9 in 2025. The last time it was higher was in 2023, at 148.8.

Meanwhile, the city has also experienced a relatively bad start to October - with the first week faring significantly worse than in 2025 and 2024. The average AQI for the first seven days of October stood at 186.28, the highest for the corresponding period in the past three years. In comparison, the average AQI for...