Delhi-NCR AQI: Delhi’s air quality rose sharply on Thursday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 400, which is almost in the ‘severe’ range. A thick layer of pollution stayed over the city because the wind was slow and temperatures were falling, trapping pollutants, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.
Wazirpur had the worst air with an AQI of 476, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. Among the 39 monitoring stations, Lodhi Road showed the best reading at 269, which still falls under the ‘poor’ category, according to the CPCB data.
Major hotspots in ‘severe’ category
Many pollution hotspots, including Anand Vihar (416), RK Puram (423), Punjabi Bagh (437), Mundka (441), Jahangirpuri (451), Burari Crossing (410) and Bawana (443), recorded ‘severe’ air quality. In total, 21 places fell in this category. Several other areas, such as Aya Nagar (372), IGI Airport T3 (376), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (392), Mandir Marg (375) and Pusa (369), remained in the ‘very poor’ range, this data is as of 8 am according to CPCB.
Under CPCB rules, an AQI of 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.
Check full area-wise list of pollution levels in Delhi
| Area name and monitoring stations | AQI level |
|---|---|
| Alipur, Delhi – DPCC | 365 |
| Anand Vihar, Delhi – DPCC | 416 |
| Ashok Vihar, Delhi – DPCC | 443 |
| Aya Nagar, Delhi – IMD | 372 |
| Bawana, Delhi – DPCC | 437 |
| Burari Crossing, Delhi – IMD | 418 |
| CRRI Mathura Road, Delhi – IMD | 391 |
| Chandni Chowk, Delhi – IITM | 415 |
| DTU, Delhi – CPCB | 434 |
| Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Delhi – DPCC | 399 |
| Dwarka-Sector 8, Delhi – DPCC | 411 |
| IGI Airport (T3), Delhi – IMD | 376 |
| IHBAS, Dilshad Garden, Delhi – CPCB | 308 |
| ITO, Delhi – CPCB | 400 |
| Jahangirpuri, Delhi – DPCC | 451 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi – DPCC | 392 |
| Lodhi Road, Delhi – IITM | 271 |
| Lodhi Road, Delhi – IMD | 355 |
| Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi – DPCC | 365 |
| Mandir Marg, Delhi – DPCC | 373 |
| Mundka, Delhi – DPCC | 446 |
| NSIT Dwarka, Delhi – CPCB | 321 |
| Najafgarh, Delhi – DPCC | 374 |
| Narela, Delhi – DPCC | 392 |
| Nehru Nagar, Delhi – DPCC | 431 |
| North Campus, DU, Delhi – IMD | 416 |
| Okhla Phase-2, Delhi – DPCC | 414 |
| Patparganj, Delhi – DPCC | 419 |
| Punjabi Bagh, Delhi – DPCC | 437 |
| Pusa, Delhi – DPCC | 377 |
| Pusa, Delhi – IMD | 369 |
| R K Puram, Delhi – DPCC | 423 |
| Rohini, Delhi – DPCC | 449 |
| Shadipur, Delhi – CPCB | 393 |
| Sirifort, Delhi – CPCB | 412 |
| Sonia Vihar, Delhi – DPCC | 410 |
| Sri Aurobindo Marg, Delhi – DPCC | 370 |
| Vivek Vihar, Delhi – DPCC | 436 |
| Wazirpur, Delhi – DPCC | 476 |
Air quality likely to worsen further, Ghaziabad worst in NCR
The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System has predicted that the air quality will get worse in the coming days and may slip fully into the ‘severe’ category, staying between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ for the next six days.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), Ghaziabad had the worst air with an AQI of 427 (‘severe’), according to CPCB data. Noida also recorded a ‘severe’ AQI of 408, while Greater Noida stood at 395 (‘very poor’). Faridabad had the lowest AQI in the NCR at 266 (‘poor’), and Gurugram reported 302 (‘very poor’).
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to take “any proactive measure” to control the rising pollution in Delhi-NCR. This came after the commission suggested adding some GRAP IV measures – such as work-from-home and 50% office attendance – even though the city is currently under GRAP III restrictions.
“Any proactive measure of CAQM to reduce air pollution is always welcome,” Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai said while heading the Bench with Justice K. Vinod Chandran. The court also said that the CAQM must consult all stakeholders before making decisions.