Delhi AQI slips into 'poor' category; IMD forecasts rising temperatures

Light haze envelops Delhi as overall AQI reaches 209 at 8 am; 26 monitoring stations record 'poor' air quality and 13 remain 'moderate' even as weather remains and temperatures rise

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated slightly on Saturday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 209 at 8 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

At least 26 monitoring stations across the national capital reported ‘poor’ air quality, while 13 stations remained in the ‘moderate’ category.

 

Among the worst-affected areas, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 265, followed by RK Puram at 247, both firmly in the ‘poor’ bracket. In contrast, IGI Airport Terminal 3 reported a relatively better AQI of 176, which falls under the ‘moderate’ category.

 

Data from Friday also showed several pollution hotspots continuing to struggle with poor air quality. Shadipur recorded an AQI of 256, Jahangirpuri 245, Mundka 230, Anand Vihar 229, Rohini 221, Sirifort 217 and Punjabi Bagh 215, all in the ‘poor’ range.

 

According to AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’ and 401–500 ‘severe’.

 

Dry weather, rising mercury

 

The decline in air quality comes even as Delhi continues to experience clear and dry weather. Bright sunshine during the day has pushed maximum temperatures above the seasonal average, while mornings and evenings remain relatively cool.

 

No rainfall is expected in the coming days, and wind speeds have remained light, limiting the dispersion of pollutants. Weather officials have indicated that the dry spell is likely to continue, with a gradual rise in daytime temperatures signalling an early build-up of heat across the national capital.