India’s winter pollution worsened across key metropolitan centres in late 2025, as government monitoring agencies reported a sustained decline in air quality. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi repeatedly slipped into the Severe and Severe Plus categories during November and December, prompting the enforcement of stricter measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). On several occasions, Air Quality Index (AQI) levels crossed 400, far exceeding safe limits.
Mumbai and Other Metros Feel the Impact
Although Mumbai typically experiences milder pollution than the national capital, the city also witnessed a noticeable deterioration in air quality. Monitoring stations reported Poor to Very Poor AQI levels during peak winter weeks, particularly in high-traffic and industrial zones. As a result, pollution stress is no longer confined to North India but is increasingly affecting other major urban centres.
Urban Consumers Respond with Urgency
Against this backdrop, consumer search behaviour across urban India reflects a clear shift towards both preventive measures and regulatory compliance. As pollution levels rise, city dwellers are taking proactive steps—ranging from improving indoor air quality to ensuring adherence to vehicular emission norms.
Justdial Data Highlights Behavioural Shift
According to data from Justdial Limited, India’s leading local search engine, pollution-linked searches rose sharply during October–November–December 2025 (OND’25). To capture this trend, Justdial compared search behaviour between OND’25 and the same period in 2024 (OND’24), as well as with the preceding quarter, July–August–September 2025 (JAS’25).
Surge in Demand for Air Purifiers
As per the press release, searches for Air Purifier Dealers climbed steeply across the country, underscoring growing concern around indoor air safety amid deteriorating outdoor conditions. Pan-India searches increased 103% year-on-year, while demand accelerated sharply in recent months, with OND’25 search volumes reaching six times those recorded in JAS’25.
Delhi emerged as the strongest market, posting a 134% rise compared to OND’24. Notably, November 2025 alone recorded a sixfold jump over October 2025, directly reflecting the impact of worsening air quality. Meanwhile, other urban hubs such as Gurgaon and Mumbai also reported significant spikes, signalling a broader metropolitan response.
Growing Focus on Vehicular Emission Compliance
At the same time, searches for Pollution Under Control (PUC) Testing showed consistent growth, highlighting rising awareness around vehicular emission norms. Across India, PUC-related searches rose 55% year-on-year in OND’25 and increased 4% compared to JAS’25.
In Delhi, searches grew 38% over OND’24 and rose 11% quarter-on-quarter, indicating sustained intent rather than a short-lived reaction. Mumbai also emerged as a key market, registering notable growth in PUC-related queries.
Pollution Shapes Everyday Urban Decisions
Taken together, the data reveals a clear shift in urban consumer behaviour. While the surge in air purifier searches reflects an urgent need to safeguard indoor environments, rising PUC queries point to a growing sense of responsibility towards pollution control.
From Seasonal Concern to Daily Reality
With search volumes climbing across major metros, Justdial’s findings suggest that pollution is no longer seen as a temporary winter challenge. Instead, it has become a persistent factor influencing everyday decisions and shaping search behaviour across India’s cities.
Appendix: Pollution-Linked Search Trends
Air Purifier Dealers
Pan India: 103% increase (OND’25 vs OND’24)
Pan India: 6x growth (OND’25 vs JAS’25)
Delhi: 134% increase (OND’25 vs OND’24)
Delhi: 6x growth (November ’25 vs October ’25)
Other high-growth areas: Gurgaon, Mumbai
PUC Testing
Pan India: 55% increase (OND’25 vs OND’24)
Pan India: 4% increase (OND’25 vs JAS’25)
Delhi: 38% increase (OND’25 vs OND’24)
Delhi: 11% increase (OND’25 vs JAS’25)
Other high-growth area: Mumbai