Reliable and adequate access to real time air quality data is important to enable action to curb air pollution and build the case for improving air quality of India cities.The advent of affordable and easy to deploy air quality monitors presents an opportunity to address this important data gap.The report evaluates the current status of air quality monitoring in India and the institutional capacity of the apex monitoring agency, the Central Pollution Control Board. The report further assesses the potential of upcoming, alternative technologies like the low cost air quality monitors, to fill the exiting data gap and inform policy and public opinion on issues related to air pollution.