New analysis from Respirer Living Sciences, a climate-tech company, indicates that air quality in Visakhapatnam is rapidly declining, with residents exposed to unsafe air on seven out of every 10 days in the first four months of 2026, said a release on Thursday.

Data from the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) monitoring station reveals that PM₁₀ levels—coarse dust particles hazardous to respiratory health—consistently exceeded national 24-hour safe limits on 70.68% of days between January and April. This performance marks a worsening three-year trend, as the station has ranked as the most polluted in Andhra Pradesh for three consecutive years.

The annual PM₁₀ average at the GVMC site reached 139.59 µg/m³ in 2026, more than double the national annual standard of 60 µg/m³. Furthermore, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels have climbed 34% since 2024, showing patterns that suggest vehicular emissions are compounding industrial pollution.

Ronak Sutaria, CEO of Respirer Living Sciences, stated that the data demonstrates a persistent issue requiring urgent enforcement and a source-specific action plan to hold contributors accountable.

As per the release, N. Vishwanathan, secretary of the Greater Visakhapatnam Citizens’ Forum, noted that the heavy concentration of port activities, industrial plants, and growing traffic creates a dangerous airshed.

Experts are now calling for hyperlocal emissions inventories, binding industrial emission targets, and an expanded monitoring network to provide the transparency and evidence needed to address these critical environmental hazards.