After weeks of battling choking air pollution, Delhiites found some relief as the Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the ‘moderate’ category on Thursday (November 5). The city’s overall AQI stood at 161, a significant improvement from the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ levels recorded earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Despite the improvement, a thin layer of smog remained as Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9°C with mist in the air, marking the onset of winter, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
While areas like ITO (130), Lodhi Road (128), and Aya Nagar (107) recorded AQI in the ‘moderate’ category, several hotspots such as RK Puram (204), Shadipur (249) and Jahangirpuri (206) remained in the ‘poor’ category. Notably, Mundka’s AQI hit 222.
Visuals from Kartavya Path showed a rise in outdoor activities, with many residents taking advantage of the cleaner air by coming out for jogging and walking.
Delhi’s air quality had sharply declined after Diwali, leading to the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV. These measures included a ban on BS-IV and older diesel-operated medium and heavy goods vehicles, except for essential services.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declined to relax GRAP-IV restrictions, stating that any changes would be considered only after sustained improvement. A bench led by Justices Abhay S Oka and AG Masih expressed concern over non-compliance by states like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in compensating construction workers affected by pollution-related bans.
The national capital is also experiencing a seasonal temperature dip. After recording 11°C on previous days, the mercury dropped to 9°C on Thursday morning. IMD predicts temperatures may hover around this mark over the next five days.
Interestingly, Agra, reported ‘satisfactory’ air quality, with visuals capturing the golden winter hue.