Spending your days travelling through the smog filled city of Delhi? Longing to get away to a place where you can breathe clean, fresh air? You’re not the only one; many city residents are taking long weekend breaks and vacations to give their lungs a well deserved break from the pollution. If you’re trying to plan a clean, green trip to rejuvenate and re-oxygenate, whether you seek to travel North or South, our list of India’s least polluted areas should help you to decide on the perfect location.
1) Kinnaur, Himmachal Pardesh.
The gorgeous city of Kinnaur, also known as ‘Land of The Gods’, in the much sought after holiday state, Himmachal Pardesh, has been recorded to have the cleanest air in the entire country, as per a study conducted by IIT. Levels of air pollutant are recorded at fewer than 5g/m3, while India’s average is 40g/m3, and Delhi is at a staggering 150g/m3!
As well as its fresh air and clean green atmosphere, Kinnaur is also known for having one of the world’s best varieties of apple; world renowned for their unique sweet flavor and crisp crunchy texture.
2) Chandighar, Punjab
Chandighar has long been hailed as one of the countries cleanest locations with the distinction of being one of India’s only planned cities. Chandighar really does offer the best of both worlds with the convenience of modern life with the cleanliness and fresh air of a more remote location. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or a lover of vibrant night-life, there really is something for everyone in this remarkable city. Some of the top attractions of Chandighar include the Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake.
3) Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Another one of India’s planned cities, and the capital of the state of Gujarat, Gandhinagar offers a rich cultural heritage and serene environment to its visitors. As well as being one of India’s cleanest and least polluted cities, it is also famous for the Akshardham Temple, one of the country’s most beautiful temples. If you are planning to bring children on your trip, the Children’s Park is a wonderful location for children to play as well as for adults who want to soak up the greenery surrounding the area. Other religious sites, while not being as famous but still worth a visit, are the Hanumanji Temple and Brahmani Temple, sure to offer an enriching experience.
4) Pathanamthitta, Kerala
Situated in the southern region of Kerala, Pathanamithitta is the smallest of all districts in Kerala and has nearly half of it’s total area under forest cover. Although it is excessively humid during certain times of the year, it’s a district that does not compromise on air quality. The district succeeds in meeting the benchmark of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the World Health Organisation has certified it as the ‘city with the cleanest air in India’. Considering the vast size of our country, that really is an achievement! Air quality aside, the district is also known as the ‘pilgrim capital of India’ as it is home of Sabarimala; a pilgrimage center which is visited by over 100 million devotees each year, making it one of the largest pilgrimage sites in the world. It is a wonder that with such an influx of people the district manages to remain one of the cleanest cities globally, perhaps it is due to the rich forest acting as the districts green lungs.
5) Matheran, Maharashtra
Matheran is an important hill station of Maharashtra as it’s the closest one to Mumbai and Pune, offering residents of these busy locations a chance to escape the rat-race and enjoy this green and calm environment. Vehicles are banned in Matheran, which is what makes the air so clean and the journey to the hill station so adventurous. Not only is the air fresher than most of the country, it offers a welcome relief from the sound pollution most of us living in metropolitan cities grow accustomed to.
It’s elevation of 2,625 feet ensures that it never gets too hot or too humid, making this a wonderful destination year round, although it’s recommended to book early due to the popularity of this hill station!
