Delhi Air Quality Dips Again: 13 Stations Record ‘Severe’ AQI, City Average At 372

Delhi's air quality remained firmly in the 'very poor' category on Friday, with the city registering an average AQI of 372 and 13 locations slipping into the 'severe' zone as of 7:05 AM, according to the government's SAMEER monitoring platform. Areas such as RK Puram, Nehru Nagar, Ashok Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Rohini and Vivek Vihar recorded AQI levels above 400, signalling hazardous conditions for residents.

This comes after yet another day of alarming pollution. On Thursday, Delhi logged an overall average AQI of 391, staying just below the 'severe' mark for the seventh straight day, as noted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). More than 15 monitoring stations had crossed the 400 level, underscoring dangerously high pollutant concentrations across the capital.

The pattern continued throughout the week, with the average AQI reading 392 on Wednesday, 374 on Tuesday and 351 on Monday - demonstrating a steady decline in Delhi's air quality.

Forecasts suggest little relief ahead. The Ministry of Earth Sciences' Air Quality Early Warning System has predicted further deterioration, warning that Delhi's air could slip deeper into the 'severe' band and remain between 'very poor' and 'severe' for the next six days.

On Thursday, the SAMEER app showed 18 of the 38 active monitoring stations reporting 'severe' AQI levels. Chandni Chowk, Anand Vihar, Bawana, Mundka, Narela, Wazirpur and DTU were among the worst-affected areas, each crossing the 400 threshold.

Source analysis from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology's Decision Support System indicated that vehicular emissions contributed 17.3% of the city's particulate matter on Thursday, while farm fires - significantly lower this year compared to previous seasons - still added 2.8%. For Friday, these contributions are expected to be 16.2% and 1.8%, respectively.

Satellite imagery detected 16 farm fires in Punjab, 11 in Haryana and 115 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, highlighting a continued but reduced impact of stubble burning on Delhi's air.

Meanwhile, weather conditions remained cool with light fog. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a minimum temperature of 11.4°C, nearly one degree below normal, and a maximum of 28.2°C, slightly above the seasonal average. Moderate fog has been forecast for Friday, with temperatures around 27°C during the day and 12°C at night.