Delhiites head out as air pollution levels spike post Diwali celebrations

Diwali is over and Delhiites are feeling the effects of the celebrations.

 

The air quality index (AQI) in the city spiked, prompting many to leave the city for a short while, to resorts outside, or even to places with better AQI such as Corbett, Bhimtal, and Dehradun.

 

“I didn’t even celebrate at home this year. Our extended family rented a cottage near Nainital, where we got together to celebrate the festival — among loved ones and with no crackers but just diyas and fairy lights, which we hung around our villa ourselves,” said Vivek Saxena, 38, an IT engineer based in Gurugram.

 

“I have a five-year-old son who I did not wish to expose to crackers and the AQI, which I was sure would become unhealthy. So, we have driven down to Jim Corbett for the week,” said Shriya Mukherjee, a resident of Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park.

 

Any rise in AQI level means a drop in air quality. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI levels in Delhi had risen to 351, the very poor category, as of 4 pm on Tuesday. These numbers are an average of 24 hours. 

 

At the same time, in Ghaziabad, the AQI was 324, in Gurugram it was 370, in Noida it was 320 – all in the very poor category.  

 

However, AQI monitors on personal devices painted a different picture. According to various images shared on the internet by Delhi-NCR residents, AQI levels had risen to over 1,000, falling firmly in the hazardous category.  

 

“We are not breathing air, but inhaling toxic gasses at the moment. This city is becoming unlivable,” wrote one such resident on Reddit.

 

At the Jim Corbett-based Aahana Resort, occupancies are up by 40 per cent.

 

“This is especially stark, because there was a time we would not see guests at Diwali since it’s a festival people celebrate at home. Now, as Delhi and much of northern India get covered in a thick haze each winter, we notice travellers making a different kind of choice, not always for leisure. The desire for clean air, something so basic yet so hard to find in cities today, is becoming one of the biggest reasons people choose to travel,” said Ayu Tripathi, director at the property.

 

“Every year, as the air quality in Delhi drops, there’s a rise in guests who want to escape to the Sal forests and open skies of Corbett. Families with young children, people working remotely, and those seeking wellness or quiet time — all come here simply to step away from the pollution. These aren’t typical holidays; they’re spontaneous decisions,” she added.

 

With air-quality challenges rising in the Delhi-NCR region, more city-dwellers are actively seeking short-stay getaways just outside the metro. “At StayVista, we’ve observed an uptick in advance bookings for our getaway homes within a 2-4 hour drive from Delhi. Guests are choosing fresh-air and nature-immersed stays over typical hotel rooms. It’s clear that the trend isn’t just about leisure, but wellness and escape; we are ready to support this by positioning our hand-picked villas and experiences as the perfect solution," said Ankita Sheth, co-founder, StayVista.

 

 “Post monsoon, we’ve seen an increase in searches for Araiya Palampur in Himachal Pradesh. People from the cities are seeking mountains and fresh air. We’ve already got sell out dates for our jungle safaris, particularly Aalia Jungle, which is four hours away from NCR,” said Amruda Nair, founder and director of Araiya Hotels.

 

The chain is seeing a robust demand with nearly seven days already sold out each in October and November for leisure and celebrations at Araiya Gir. Trends are similar for Aalia Jungle Retreat at Uttarakhand, with high demand dates in November already at a 100 per cent occupancy. 

 

"Given the number of queries, we are expecting families particularly from NCR to crystallise their plans post Diwali and head to the hills," Nair added.

 

“As a freelancer, I have the liberty of making a lot of choices. With the cracker ban lifted, I knew there was no point stayin Delhi this year. So, this Diwali, we completed the puja at home and drove down to Dehradun with my family, where we’ll be staying for at least two weeks before thinking of coming back,” said 32-year-old Divya Sahni, who lives in the eastern part of the city. 

Taking a break

• Personal AQI monitors and social media posts show readings crossing 1,000 (hazardous)
• Many Delhiites headed to nearby hill stations and resorts for cleaner air
• Corbett, Bhimtal, Dehradun, and Nainital saw higher visitor numbers
• Aahana Resort in Corbett saw a 40% rise in bookings this Diwali week
• StayVista reports more short stays near Delhi, driven by wellness and clean-air needs