Delhi air remains toxic as AQI stays poor; winter cold worsens smog

NSIT, Dwarka, and Bawana recorded the worst air quality on Wednesday, though Aya Nagar, IGI Airport T3, and Mandir Marg recorded AQI in the 'moderate' category

The air quality index (AQI) of the national capital remained in the ‘poor’ category for the second consecutive day, after weeks of hovering in the ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ range. The relief may be short-lived, as pollution levels are expected to rise in the coming days, with the AQI likely to slip back to the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ range, according to the six-day forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.

 

How bad is the pollution today?

 

As many as 28 stations were in the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday, marking an improvement, while nine stations remained under ‘very poor’. NSIT Dwarka and Bawana recorded the worst air quality on Wednesday, while Aya Nagar, IGI Airport T3 and Mandir Marg recorded AQI in the ‘moderate’ category.

 

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI levels at key locations are:

 

Anand Vihar: 298

Ashok Vihar: 287

Bawana: 320

Chandni Chowk: 281

RK Puram: 283

Rohini: 297

Vivek Vihar: 305

 

The 24-hour average AQI stood at 282 at 4 pm on Tuesday, compared with 314 on Monday and 308 on Sunday.

 

What do CPCB’s AQI categories mean?

 

The CPCB classifies AQI ranges as follows:

 

0–50: Good

51–100: Satisfactory

101–200: Moderate

201–300: Poor

301–400: Very poor

401–500: Severe

 

What is the latest in efforts to curb pollution?

 

The Delhi government is fast-tracking Dust Portal 2.0 and the upgraded Green Delhi App to strengthen year-round air pollution monitoring, PTI reported.

 

Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa led a review to ensure “visible results on the ground” through the apps. Dust Portal 2.0 will feature GIS-based mapping, AI-driven automated alerts, real-time data integration and QR-coded verification for all registered construction sites. It will also sync with Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Public Works Department (PWD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) platforms to improve enforcement and transparency.

 

The Green Delhi App upgrade allows citizens to report 17 categories of violations, ranging from debris dumping and road dust to open burning and industrial emissions, and track their resolution through the app.

 

What’s the weather forecast for today?

 

With winter settling in and a cold wave gripping Delhi, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast minimum temperatures are likely to fall by 2–3 degrees Celsius over the next three days and rise by 2–3 degrees Celsius thereafter. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain below normal (1.6 to 3.0 degrees Celsius lower) during this period.

 

For Wednesday, the IMD forecast mainly clear skies with shallow fog in the morning. The maximum temperature is expected to be 23–25 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will hover around 8–10 degrees Celsius.