The rapid urbanization of metropolitan cities has led to a concerning increase in air pollutants within the atmosphere, resulting in adverse health effects in urban environments. This study aims to investigate the temporal variations in air quality specifically within Bengaluru City. Over the past five years, including the pandemic period, authentic data from the Central Pollution Control Board was gathered for selected locations representing diverse land-use patterns. The comprehensive information on key air pollutants, including particulate matter with diameters of 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and 10 µm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) concentrations were considered for the present study and evaluated for its compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards. These pollutants, pivotal in assessing air quality and understanding the potential health and environmental impacts, were employed to estimate the Air Quality Index (AQI). An exposure assessment was conducted to determine the potential for adverse human health effects. Further, the study also anticipates the possibilities of contributions from various sources. A descriptive statistical analysis was carried out for different zones categorized as residential area, commercial area, industrial area, and high-traffic area. The findings indicate an obvious and significant decrease in AQI during the pandemic. Surprisingly, post-pandemic pollutant concentrations did not return to pre-pandemic levels, and the AQI in the majority of examined zones are in rise in comparison with the observations from the year 2020. Statistical methods were employed to identify significant variations in air pollutant levels during different periods, shedding light on the complex dynamics of air quality in distinct urban settings.