Delhi’s air quality has once again deteriorated to the ‘Severe’ category, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 384, classifying it as ‘Very Poor’. This alarming situation has persisted for 14 consecutive days. The recent spike in pollution levels occurred just 48 hours after authorities eased stringent Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Several areas within the National Capital Region (NCR) are experiencing dangerous air conditions. Nineteen out of 39 monitoring stations in Delhi have recorded AQI levels exceeding 400, placing them in the ‘Severe’ zone. Notable hotspots include Anand Vihar (AQI 411), Bawana (AQI 414), Ashok Vihar (AQI 417), Chandni Chowk (AQI 407), Narela (AQI 407), and Aya Nagar (AQI 402).
Other locations are hovering near the ‘Severe’ threshold, with ITO at 396, Alipur at 355, and IGI Airport at 360 falling into the higher end of the ‘Very Poor’ classification. The surrounding NCR cities are also grappling with worsening air quality.
Noida is reporting ‘Severe’ air, with Sector 116 at AQI 438 and Sector 125 at AQI 422. Ghaziabad shows mixed readings, with Loni at AQI 425 in the ‘Severe’ category, while Indirapuram is at AQI 385 (‘Very Poor’). Greater Noida remains in the ‘Very Poor’ range, with Knowledge Park-V nearing the ‘Severe’ mark at 399. Gurugram’s AQI stands at 318, also categorized as ‘Very Poor’.
Contributing factors to this worsening air quality include the onset of winter, characterized by falling temperatures and low wind speeds, which trap pollutants near the ground. The India Meteorological Department predicts cloudy skies and fog, with minimum temperatures expected between 8-10 degrees Celsius. The Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts that Delhi’s air quality will likely remain between ‘Severe’ and ‘Very Poor’ for the next six days, offering little immediate relief.