New Delhi, April 8 -- Delhi has recorded a 17% reduction in PM10 levels from its 2017-18 baseline, but air quality across the National Capital Region (NCR) remained the worst in the country, an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) seven years into the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has found.

The analysis, based on data from 2025-26 from continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations across the country, shows that despite some improvement, pollution levels in NCR cities remained well above national standards.

Ghaziabad recorded the highest annual PM10 level at 215 µg/m³ - more than three times the national permissible limit of 60 µg/m³ - followed by Delhi at 201 µg/m³ ...