The industrial expansion and demographic growth of Nagpur have created localised pockets where pollution has reached critical levels. Within Vidarbha, Nagpur stands out not only as a regional hub of commerce and transport but also as one of the cities experiencing rapid environmental degradation.

The combination of solid waste accumulation, industrial discharge, and vehicular congestion has resulted in several zones being identified as severe pollution hotspots.

These areas have shown consistent environmental stress over the years, often affecting thousands of residents living in their proximity. What follows is a detailed account of three such areas that represent distinct patterns of urban and industrial pollution. Each case demonstrates the structural and spatial challenges that have shaped Nagpur’s environmental condition.

1. Bhandewadi Dump Yard and Surrounding Localities

Bhandewadi, located on the eastern edge of Nagpur, is widely recognised as the city’s most critical pollution hotspot. The site functions as the primary landfill and solid waste processing zone, spread across approximately seventy-seven acres. Of this, more than fifty acres are used directly for waste dumping, while the remaining land holds a sewage treatment facility. The yard receives about thirteen hundred to fourteen hundred metric tonnes of municipal solid waste every day from different parts of the city. This immense quantity includes household garbage, commercial refuse, biomedical waste, and industrial residue. Over the years, the accumulation has created large mounds of mixed waste that release methane, carbon dioxide, and other harmful gases into the atmosphere.

The surrounding settlements of Abbumiya Nagar, Sangharsh Nagar, Antuji Nagar, and other low-income clusters live in close proximity to this landfill. Frequent fires at the site have been documented by municipal and state pollution control authorities, each incident releasing thick plumes of smoke and particulate matter. Residents in nearby areas often report severe odour and respiratory irritation during such episodes. The groundwater around Bhandewadi has shown signs of contamination due to leachate seepage. This leachate, formed from decomposing organic matter and liquid waste, mixes with the shallow aquifers that many households depend upon for domestic use.

Despite attempts at biomining and remediation, only a fraction of the total waste has been scientifically processed. A significant portion remains unsegregated, meaning that recyclable materials, hazardous waste, and organic waste continue to be dumped together. The lack of effective segregation has been a consistent issue in civic assessments. Environmental organisations have repeatedly pointed out that the landfill operates far beyond its designed capacity. Large legacy waste heaps, some as high as several metres, are visible from a distance. The cumulative effect is the persistent emission of harmful gases and fine dust particles, which spread into the adjacent zones and reach even farther when aided by wind patterns.

Continuous exposure to these conditions has caused a decline in local quality of life indicators. Health workers in nearby wards have observed recurring patterns of skin rashes, eye irritation, and respiratory problems among residents. Studies carried out by local research institutions confirm elevated levels of particulate matter and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere around the landfill. The Bhandewadi dump yard, therefore, represents a complex pollution site, combining elements of waste mismanagement, groundwater contamination, and air quality degradation.

2. Hingna–Butibori Industrial Belt

Located on the western and southern periphery of Nagpur, the Hingna–Butibori corridor forms one of the most intensive industrial zones in central India. This belt houses a mix of heavy engineering, chemical, textile, and power generation units. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation developed Butibori as one of the largest industrial estates in the region, while Hingna serves as an older industrial pocket that has grown organically alongside residential expansion. Over time, the cumulative emissions from these units have made the region one of Nagpur’s key contributors to particulate and gaseous pollution.

The industrial activities in this belt release nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds, and suspended particulate matter. Periodic studies by the state pollution control authorities and collaborating research institutions have placed this belt under moderate to high pollution categories, depending on the operational load of factories. The presence of multiple red and orange category industries amplifies the emissions further. Several plants in the belt rely on coal-based boilers and furnaces, producing significant amounts of fly ash and soot. The constant vehicular movement of raw material and finished goods transport adds to the pollution load. Heavy trucks and goods carriers passing through Hingna Road and Butibori Highway contribute to road dust resuspension and tailpipe emissions.

The Butibori industrial zone also experiences secondary pollution arising from solid waste disposal and wastewater discharges. Inadequate treatment of industrial effluents in a few clusters has resulted in contamination of nearby drains and open grounds. While common effluent treatment facilities exist, their capacity has not always matched the inflow volumes, leading to overflow during peak industrial activity. Satellite imagery studies have shown the formation of thermal hotspots in this region due to concentrated industrial heat release and limited vegetation cover. The surrounding villages and residential colonies bear the effects of continuous low-level exposure to airborne particulates.

Traffic surveys and air quality measurements show that particulate matter levels remain higher in this belt than in most residential zones of Nagpur. Measurements taken near Hingna MIDC junctions reveal PM10 concentrations exceeding permissible limits during peak hours. The presence of power plants and manufacturing clusters in close succession intensifies localised smog during early morning and evening periods. The overall environmental load of the Hingna–Butibori industrial belt makes it the city’s second major pollution zone. Its industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and dust movement collectively contribute to Nagpur’s declining air quality across several wards extending into the metropolitan boundary of Vidarbha.

3. Inner City Traffic and Commercial Hotspots

In contrast to the peripheral industrial and landfill zones, Nagpur’s inner city suffers from a different form of pollution. The congested commercial areas of Kalamna, Pardi Naka, Mahal, and Itwari record consistently high pollution levels due to traffic density, road dust, and market-related activities. These are among the oldest trading centres in the city, characterised by narrow roads, wholesale warehouses, and continuous loading and unloading of goods. The density of vehicular movement, including two-wheelers, autos, and heavy transport vehicles, has made these neighbourhoods highly vulnerable to fine dust and exhaust accumulation.

Traffic studies by technical institutions have documented the impact of slow-moving vehicles in these markets. The prolonged idling of engines in bottlenecks raises concentrations of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and fine particulates. Dust generated from unpaved sections, roadside construction, and frequent cargo handling adds to the localised air burden. Kalamna, one of Nagpur’s busiest market zones, connects directly to the railway freight yard, resulting in an almost uninterrupted flow of vehicles. Pardi Naka and Itwari, being major commercial junctions, face similar stress throughout the day. During festive and harvest seasons, the number of vehicles entering these markets doubles, producing visible layers of dust across shopfronts and nearby residences.

Studies conducted by environmental agencies have found PM10 values in these inner-city locations often exceeding prescribed standards, especially during winter months when dispersion rates decline. The lack of green cover and limited space between buildings restricts the dissipation of pollutants. Many older shops and residential blocks use small diesel generators during power outages, further adding to emissions. The saturation of space prevents large-scale mechanical cleaning, which allows dust and soot to accumulate over time. The physical design of these neighbourhoods, developed long before modern traffic loads, now acts as a containment structure for pollution.

For workers and residents, prolonged exposure manifests as persistent respiratory discomfort and eye irritation. Shopkeepers report that dust layers form rapidly even after daily cleaning, showing the constant presence of suspended particles. Municipal monitoring has included these areas among the top contributors to Nagpur’s poor air quality index readings. While the causes differ from the landfill or industrial belts, the outcome remains a steady decline in urban environmental quality. These inner-city traffic and market zones, therefore, complete the trio of Nagpur’s most polluted areas, each shaped by a unique combination of congestion, commerce, and unplanned urban evolution.

The three zones described above represent distinct forms of pollution within a single metropolitan framework. Bhandewadi symbolises the failure of solid waste containment, Hingna–Butibori illustrates the impact of industrial and vehicular concentration, and the inner-city markets reveal the consequences of prolonged congestion in traditional commercial cores. Together, they portray the scale of environmental stress experienced in Nagpur. None of these conditions developed suddenly; they are the result of cumulative neglect, infrastructural lag, and unchecked expansion. The physical geography of Vidarbha adds to this complexity, as the region’s dry climate and dust-prone soil increase the persistence of pollutants in the atmosphere.

These sites collectively influence the city’s overall air quality index, often pushing Nagpur into higher pollution categories during dry months. The concentration of multiple pollution sources in different directions around the city demonstrates how urbanisation, when left unbalanced, transforms ecological conditions. From landfill fires to industrial emissions and market congestion, the indicators are visible across the cityscape.

Each locality has become a permanent reminder of how environmental degradation often begins at the margins and gradually merges into the urban mainstream. The details of these areas are crucial to understanding the environmental trajectory of Nagpur and, by extension, the broader urban experience across Vidarbha.