Lucknow Surpasses Indore to Claim Top Spot in Clean Air Survey 2026; Delhi Ranks 21st as Madhya Pradesh Dominates Top Ranks
Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow has triumphed in the prestigious Clean Air Survey 2026 released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), outpacing heavyweights to secure the number one position nationwide among cities with a population exceeding 10 lakh. Evaluating urban centers on critical environmental parameters, air quality management, and pollution mitigation efforts, the latest rankings highlight a major shift in urban cleanliness metrics, with Madhya Pradesh delivering a stellar performance by placing multiple cities within the elite top bracket.
Category-I Rankings: Lucknow Leads While Indore and Jabalpur Follow Closely
In the fiercely contested Category-I bracket covering metropolitan cities with a population of over one million, Lucknow claimed the crown with an impressive 198 points. Indore—long renowned for its urban cleanliness standards—secured second place with 197 points, followed closely by Jabalpur in third place with 195 points. The rankings also revealed joint fourth-place finishes for Bhopal and Agra with 192 points each, while Gujarat's economic powerhouse Surat rounded out the top five with 191 points. In contrast, major metropolitan hubs lagged behind, with the national capital Delhi landing at 21st place with 172 points, and Mumbai positioned further down at 28th with 160.8 points. Other prominent contenders like Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur secured the sixth position with 189 points, and the Durg-Bhilai urban cluster finished 17th.
Category-II Performance Highlights Rourkela and Regional Standouts
The CPCB rankings for Category-II cities—comprising urban areas with populations between 3 to 10 lakh—showcased stellar achievements by smaller administrative regions. Odisha's Rourkela emerged at the pinnacle of this category, claiming first position with a stellar score of 198.5 points. Firozabad and Guntur shared a strong second-place tie with 195 points each, while Chhattisgarh's industrial hub Korba secured the 10th spot with 186.5 points. Across Madhya Pradesh's mid-sized municipal corporations, Ujjain performed respectably at 13th place with 181.5 points, Sagar claimed 18th position with 178 points, and Gwalior landed at 30th with 157 points, reflecting a diverse nationwide landscape in urban air quality management.
