Hyderabad likes to present itself as a city of clear horizons — a contrast to the winter smog that overwhelms the nation’s capital, Delhi.
Morning joggers fill its parks, commuters travel under open skies, and the AQI often appears moderate. But scientists warn that this ‘clarity’ is misleading. Beneath the seemingly benign numbers lies a deeper crisis shaped by dust-heavy streets, weak monitoring, fragmented governance and weather patterns that trap pollutants more than citizens realise.
Hyderabad may not be suffocating yet but it is edging towards a future where clean air becomes a rare commodity, not a fundamental right.
Dr Darga Shaik, founder and president of the Centre for Sustainable Environment and Education, noted that pollution levels have shown a “somewhat declining” trend since the pandemic, largely due to BS-VI fuel norms, growing awareness and the widespread use of low-cost sensors. But he cautions that awareness has grown faster than actual improvement.
Winter remains the toughest season, with AQI often crossing 200. For kids, the elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory illness, even ‘moderate’ air can have long-term consequences.
The modest dip after Covid-19, he said, reflected reduced activity, and the gains have been wiped out. Hyderabad cannot afford complacency, Dr Shaik stressed.
Dust dominates
Hyderabad’s pollution profile differs sharply from Delhi’s, where smoke or industrial fumes are the major pollutants. “Road dust is the main impacting factor in Hyderabad,” asserted Dr Shaik. The city’s expanding construction sector constantly releases particulate matter, and many sites flout dust-control norms. Excavation, demolition, cement transport and sand movement send fine particles drifting into neighbourhoods daily, he said.
This is compounded by unpaved or damaged road margins that crumble easily. Each passing vehicle lifts loose particles back into the air, creating millions of microbursts of dust daily. With comparatively fewer heavy industries, Hyderabad’s pollution stays close to the ground. PM10 and PM2.5 dominate the city’s air, reaffirming that its biggest adversary is its own soil turned airborne.
One of Hyderabad’s core weaknesses, experts said, lies in how pollution is governed. Dr Gufran Beig, founder & project director of SAFAR and chair professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, IISc, argued that India’s approach is flawed because it treats pollution as a city-level issue, even though air does not respect municipal borders. Many other countries instead adopt the “airshed approach”, addressing pollution across an entire atmospheric region, he pointed out.
No coordinated mechanism exists in Telangana for joint action, shared funding or unified monitoring, Dr Beig said.
The seasonal trap
Both Dr Shaik and Dr Beig describe winter as a lid that traps pollutants close to the surface. Cold air sinks, moisture increases, winds slow and the atmospheric boundary layer shrinks from 2–3 km in summer to a few hundred metres. Pollutants that would otherwise disperse remain confined. Even regular levels of dust and emissions can push AQI higher, the experts said, adding that while summer thunderstorms and the monsoon help wash pollutants out, winter offers no such relief.
Early winter this year intensified these effects, said public-policy expert Donthi Narasimha Reddy, pushing AQI values upward. He added that solar and clean-energy initiatives are positive, but insufficient against rising vehicle emissions, construction dust, garbage burning and industrial pollutants.
Hyderabad’s geography keeps it away from the Indo-Gangetic Plain’s severe pollution, but this advantage does not guarantee clean air. The city routinely exceeds the WHO’s PM2.5 guideline of 15 µg/m³. Particulate matter still captures public attention, but Dr Beig warned of a rising ozone crisis. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with sunlight. Rural and peri-urban regions already show worrying signs. Hyderabad’s nitrogen oxide levels remain moderate for now, but growing traffic, expansion of industries and rising temperatures could sharpen the threat. Dr Shaik noted that as the city spreads outward, ozone-related risks could emerge quickly.
Another structural weakness is the city’s thin monitoring. With only 14–16 stations across a fast-growing metropolitan area, pollution remains under-measured. Regions like Kokapet, Kompally, Bachupally, Uppal and parts of the IT corridor have almost no monitoring. Many industrial belts also operate without regular tracking. TGPCB’s low investment, said Dr Shaik, makes targeted interventions difficult. Citizen-run sensors help, but cannot replace professional-grade systems.
Shift to EVs, suggest experts
Asked why cities like Tokyo and New York maintain cleaner air, Dr Beig said they acted decades earlier: phasing out fossil-fuel vehicles, enforcing strict industrial norms, maintaining clean roads and discouraging biomass burning. Lower population density also reduces pressure on infrastructure. He warns against the cultural myth that Indians have a higher tolerance for pollution. Long-term exposure harms everyone.
Experts agree that Hyderabad needs a structural reset. Dust control demands mechanised sweeping, repair of broken pavements and strict enforcement at construction sites. The city must adopt the airshed model, expand monitoring and conduct source-apportionment studies. A quicker shift to electric mobility is crucial, given Hyderabad’s reliance on diesel vehicles. The city also has the opportunity to lead scientifically. Its high-altitude balloon facility can support advanced atmospheric research if policymakers use it effectively.
Residents reflect a growing but uneven awareness. Thirty-two-year-old Karthik Kumar is worried about rising vehicular emissions. Megha Jain, 27, has noticed a morning haze and points to offices installing air purifiers. Aisha Khan, 20, says conversations spike only when Delhi trends online, though Hyderabad’s traffic-heavy days feel suffocating.
Terrified of pollution’s impact on health, 27-year-old Masi Zaman checks the AQI daily and wears a mask on bad days. A resident recently back from Australia says the contrast hit her immediately: “There, I never thought about breathing. Here, even a short walk makes my eyes water.” Vishal Reddy, 45, from Attapur, adds that some mornings feel “dusty and heavy” even on routine walks.
Impact on health
Health experts said the city’s ‘better than Delhi’ narrative hides serious risks. Dr Manoj Reddy from Osmania General Hospital notes fewer asthma and COPD flare-ups compared to northern cities, but warns that even moderate AQI can cause long-term harm.
CARE Hospital’s Dr Jaweed says particulate matter can disrupt hormonal balance, affect egg quality and interfere with reproductive health. Emerging research links PM2.5 exposure to the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes. Dr Md Shujauddin, senior resident doctor, Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences, highlighted chronic inflammation caused by PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and diesel exhaust, worsening asthma, COPD and post-Covid-19 complications. He advised preventive measures like N95 masks, HEPA filters and antioxidant-rich diets, but stresses that true protection lies in lowering emissions.
Exploring the psychological impact of pollution, clinical psychologist Zoya Ahmed explained, “Chronic exposure to pollution can disturb the brain’s normal chemical balance. Pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide can lower one’s oxygen levels in the brain, leading to sleep disturbances, restlessness and slower cognitive processing. In children and older adults, we also see higher rates of insomnia and memory lapses, with one of the factors being pollution.”
Talking about how the psychological impact of pollution is often ignored in India, she said, “Most discussions focus on respiratory illness, ignoring how air quality silently affects our mental health. We need interdisciplinary awareness — psychiatrists, environmental scientists and policymakers working together. It’s time we see mental health as part of the climate conversation.”
‘The wealthiest pollute the most’
Today, many cities record AQI levels over 500. Vehicle usage grows, public transport lags, and rising temperatures intensify smog. Extreme climate events are becoming common. An environmentalist, Prof K Purushotham Reddy, argued that climate issues must enter mainstream political debate. He notes that India’s wealthiest contribute disproportionately to emissions while the poorest bear the impacts.
Sociologists and health experts asserted that clean air is a matter of social justice. Poorer communities live closer to pollution sources and face higher health risks.
Activist Priya Sharma said Hyderabad must enforce construction-dust norms and invest in public transport. Dr Krishnan, who runs a clinic, highlighted the emerging threat of ozone. Experts agreed that progress requires cooperation between the government, scientists and citizens. Meanwhile, Narasimha Reddy said Hyderabad’s steady gains must be supported through awareness and accountability. Dr Jaweed adds that informed citizens can amplify official efforts.
‘State policy inadequate’
Prof Purushotham Reddy said the evolution of India’s policy from the colonial Indian Forest Act of 1927 to the Forest Conservation Act (1980) and Air Act (1981) strengthened regulation. The Bhopal disaster in 1984 exposed gaps, leading to the Environment Protection Act (1986). The Act envisaged a powerful Environment Protection Authority, but it never materialised, he added.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Clean and Green Energy Policy 2024 aims to promote renewable energy, solar power, EVs, hydrogen fuel and clean technologies. But Narasimha Reddy said it lacks measurable targets, feasibility assessments, and integration across key sectors like transport, waste and agriculture. Without stakeholder consultation or monitoring systems, he warned, the policy risks remaining aspirational rather than transformative.
Hyderabad is not choking, but it is far from safe. Dust dominates its air, winter traps pollutants, monitoring is inadequate, governance is scattered, and new threats are emerging. The city stands at a pivotal moment. It can act decisively — through science, coordination and strong governance — or watch its blue skies fade into haze. The tools exist. What Hyderabad needs now is political will and sustained public engagement. The choice is clear: protect the air today or pay the price tomorrow.
ELEVATED TERRAIN HELPS HYD
Experts say that comparing cities can oversimplify complex realities. Delhi is shaped by landlocked geography, transboundary emissions and regional biomass burning. Mumbai benefits from sea breezes; Chennai’s air swings between monsoon relief and dry-season deterioration. Hyderabad’s elevated terrain gives it some advantage but not immunity. Residents who have lived across metros observe these shifts.
THE ‘INVISIBLE’ CRISIS
Hyderabad’s air-quality monitoring network is severely inadequate, with only 14–16 stations covering a rapidly expanding metropolitan region. Fast-growing areas like Kokapet, Kompally, Bachupally, Uppal and parts of the IT corridor remain unmonitored, while several industrial zones lack continuous tracking. Experts say the TGPCB has not invested enough in expanding this infrastructure, making it difficult to generate accurate data or design targeted interventions. Inconsistent readings from citizen-owned low-cost sensors further highlight the need for professional-grade systems. As a result, much of Hyderabad’s pollution remains invisible.
What Hyd must do to clean its air
Enforce construction-dust norms: Regular checks, penalties for violations, dust screens, water-spraying, covered material transport
Repair and maintain road margins: Fix broken pavements, stabilise loose edges, expand mechanised sweeping to cut road-dust resuspension
Strengthen public transport and sustainable mobility: Expand bus networks, improve last-mile connectivity, support cycling and pedestrian infrastructure
Accelerate EV adoption: More charging stations, incentives for EV fleets, stricter controls on diesel vehicles
Expand air-quality monitoring: Add stations in fast-growing areas, monitor industrial belts continuously, publish real-time transparent data
Adopt the airshed approach: Coordinate with surrounding districts so that pollutants don’t move across boundaries unchecked
Anticipate emerging threats like ozone: Track ozone-forming gases, curb NOx emissions, regulate industrial and transport corridors
Build scientific capacity: Use Hyderabad’s high-altitude balloon facility, improve modelling, invest in advanced tools like LIDAR
Strengthen governance and accountability: Integrate pollution-control efforts across departments, ensure strict enforcement, create complaint-redress systems
Raise citizen awareness: Promote mask use on bad-air days, encourage AQI checks, reduce biomass and waste burning, support greener mobility choices
Expand urban greening: Protect existing trees, restore green corridors, prioritise native species to reduce dust and heat load
Integrate climate and air-policy planning: Link clean air to climate resilience, heat mitigation and long-term environmental strategy