Air pollution is a growing concern in cities across India. Knowing the air quality before heading outdoors can protect your health. Google Maps now makes it easy to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) of any location in real time. Whether you are travelling, commuting, or planning outdoor activities, this feature helps you make informed decisions to stay safe.
How to Check AQI on Google Maps?
You can now view the air quality index (AQI) of any place on Google Maps. This helps you decide if it’s safe to go outside. It’s especially useful in winter, when pollution levels rise.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Update Google Maps to the latest version.
- Open the app (or browser version) and search for your city or area.
- Tap the Layers icon near the search bar.
- Tap the option labelled “Air Quality”.
- You’ll now see shaded areas showing AQI levels.
- Tap a region to view detailed info: score, pollutant levels, health suggestions.
Why This Feature Matters?
Pollution affects health — especially for children, older people or those with respiratory conditions. The AQI reading on Google Maps gives you a quick check whether the air is safe for outdoor activities or whether you should wear a mask or limit exposure.
Since Google now supports AQI layers globally and in India, this becomes a handy tool for anyone checking air quality before travel or exercise.
Travel & Daily Planning Benefit
This AQI feature is not just for health-conscious users. It becomes quite valuable for travellers, commuters and outdoor workers. Imagine you plan a trip to a city and the AQI shows “Very Poor” or “Severe” — you might postpone an early-morning run, wear an N95 mask or choose indoor activities instead.
In workplaces too, shift planners can check air quality before sending staff outdoors. When winter stirs up smog in cities like Delhi or crop-burning raises particulate matter in nearby regions, a quick check in Google Maps gives you a real-time edge.
