Delhi's air improves slightly after 8 days, AQI at 'very poor' level

Delhi's air quality shows slight improvement, with AQI at 379, but remains "very poor"; visibility affected, flights delayed, and schools in Delhi and NCR shut due to severe pollution

After eight days of severe air pollution, residents of Delhi woke up on Thursday to slightly improved air quality. At 7 am, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 379, placing the city in the “very poor” category.

 

Despite this improvement, several air monitoring stations across the national capital still recorded AQI levels above 400, which is categorised as “severe”. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Jahangirpuri and Wazirpur saw the highest readings at 437, with Bawana at 419, and Ashok Vihar and Mundka both registering 416.

 

Weather conditions in Delhi 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast a temperature range of 11 to 26 degrees Celsius for Thursday in Delhi. However, a thick layer of smog continued to envelop the city, reducing visibility.

 

Impact on flights 

Visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport was severely impacted by the dense smog, leading to flight delays. According to Flightradar, 97 flights have been delayed and three have been cancelled so far due to poor visibility.

 

Delhi pollution: Government actions 

In response to the ongoing air quality crisis, the Commission for Air Quality Management has updated the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap). This revised plan mandates the closure of schools in Delhi and neighbouring districts under Stages 3 and 4. Additionally, the Delhi government has announced that 50 per cent of its employees will work from home as a measure to reduce exposure to the toxic air.

 

Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, confirmed the decision on X, stating, “To reduce pollution, Delhi government decided to implement work from home in government offices. 50% of employees will work from home.”

 

Other cities in India affected by pollution 

Delhi isn’t the only city facing severe pollution levels. Jaipur and Chandigarh also rank among the most polluted cities in India. Delhi recorded the highest AQI readings, followed by Jaipur and Chandigarh, which had AQI levels of 235 and 233, both classified as “poor”. On the other hand, Aizawl and Guwahati reported the lowest pollution levels in the country, with AQI readings of 32 and 42, respectively, at 7 am.