GURUGRAM: A Centre for Science and Environment analysis published on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, places Gurugram within a regional rise in fine particle pollution that gathered pace in October and intensified in early November. The research examines conditions before and after Diwali, combining a calendar of pollution across six NCR cities with a detailed assessment of Delhi's traffic and emissions.

For Gurugram residents travelling towards Delhi on NH-48, the report brings together two connected subjects: pollution across the shared region and congestion within the capital. Its NCR calendar includes Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Delhi. The traffic indices and detailed nitrogen dioxide measurements discussed separately in the paper describe Delhi.

Gurugram appears in the regional pollution calendar

The November 11 research release describes comparatively low fine particle concentrations during September, followed by a progressive increase in October and a sharper regional spike in early November. The accompanying study presents a city calendar using averages from monitoring stations. Its colours follow the official air quality subcategories.

That distinction matters when comparing this research with a daily air quality bulletin. The calendar follows PM2.5 concentrations across a period, whereas a bulletin gives a dated Air Quality Index. The study's regional pattern can be read alongside the earlier Gurugram and Manesar figures for November 10, keeping the different measures and observation dates separate.

The research attributes the regional deterioration to weaknesses in continuing emission control across several sectors. Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE's executive director for research and advocacy, argues that a cleaner baseline before winter would reduce the severity of seasonal episodes. Her assessment covers transport, industry, construction, waste burning and other dispersed urban sources across the NCR.

Readers can check the scope in the full briefing paper. Its regional calendar is followed by Delhi-specific traffic and nitrogen dioxide charts. It does not assign Gurugram a percentage share of Delhi's pollution or provide a new measurement for an individual Gurugram sector.

What the Delhi traffic comparison found

CSE compared Delhi travel conditions during November 2 to 6 with October 30, the preceding working day used in the study. The average daily Travel Time Index was 2.40 during the five working days, against 2.38 on October 30. The corresponding evening peak figures were 3.49 and 3.48, showing very little change in that comparison.

The index divides a journey's actual duration by its duration on an empty road. The paper uses observations between 2 am and 4 am IST to establish free flow conditions. An index of 2.40 therefore means a journey took 2.40 times its free flow duration. It does not mean a journey was delayed by 2.40 minutes.

  • Release date: November 11, 2026.
  • Regional calendar: six NCR cities, including Gurugram.
  • Delhi weekday comparison: November 2 to 6 against October 30.
  • Delhi daily Travel Time Index: 2.40 during the comparison week.
  • Delhi evening peak index: 3.49 during that week.

Against typical weekdays from January to April 2026, the researchers found journeys during the comparison week took 13% longer. Evening peak trips took 13% to 31% longer than that baseline. The morning peak in the study runs from 9 am to noon IST; the evening peak runs from 6 pm to 9 pm IST.

The holiday comparison also shows why lower traffic alone did not explain every pollution reading. Delhi's daily travel index on Diwali, November 8, was 1.32, yet the nitrogen dioxide analysis recorded one of the period's higher daily averages. The paper attributes the daily pollution level to weather conditions and, on Diwali, firecrackers, while traffic influences the timing of the within-day build-up.

Pollution persisted after the evening rush

The paper's Delhi nitrogen dioxide analysis covers October 30 to November 9. It reports a morning peak of 56 micrograms per cubic metre at 9 am IST, a decline to 29 at 2 pm, and an evening rise to 67 at 7 pm. Levels remained above 55 until midnight, although road traffic had already thinned.

The researchers interpret this as an interaction between emissions and atmospheric conditions: afternoon mixing disperses pollution more effectively, while still night air retains the evening load. The study also found that daily nitrogen dioxide rose by about one third from early November while weekday congestion remained broadly unchanged. These are Delhi station averages, rather than observations along NH-48.

CSE recommends continuing emission reductions and a transport strategy that reduces traffic volumes through public transport and fewer trips. Those recommendations sit alongside existing local action, including the earlier Gurugram road dust enforcement development and reported GRAP Stage III restrictions. The new development is the November 11 research assessment; it announces no separate closure, diversion or school order for Gurugram.