Delhi’s Air Quality Remains ‘Very Poor’ Despite Marginal Improvement

National capital Delhi's air quality has shown a tiny improvement, but pollution remains dangerously high across most parts of the city on Wednesday morning.

As of 7 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 341 at 7 am, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

It means air quality has slightly improved when compared to Tuesday's reading of 397. Nonetheless, the overall situation remained in the "very poor" category.

Going by the CPCB data, the AQI levels were recorded at 388, while Wazirpur registered 386 at Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar. Punjabi Bagh (374), RK Puram (377), Bawana (383), ITO (369), Chandni Chowk (369), and Dwarka Sector 8 (376 are the other areas which have poor air quality. All these locations remained in the "very poor" bracket, underscoring the widespread nature of the pollution crisis across the city.

Meanwhile, several parts of the national capital witnessed moderate fog, while dense fog was observed at isolated locations. The minimum temperature was pegged at 9 degrees Celsius at 7 am, adding to the discomfort of residents already battling poor air quality. What has made the situations worse for the commuters and the outdoor works is the combination of cold weather and high pollution levels.

The AQI scale classifies readings between 0-50 as "good," 51-100 "satisfactory," 101-200 "moderate," 201-300 "poor," 301-400 "very poor," and 401-500 "severe." With Delhi's AQI hovering well above 300, the capital remains in the danger zone.

In response to the deteriorating conditions earlier this week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had invoked Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is reserved for "severe" air quality when AQI exceeds 450. However, the commission later revoked its January 17 order, noting that current levels, though alarming, had not crossed the "severe" threshold.

Despite the rollback of Stage IV measures, CAQM has directed implementing agencies across the National Capital Region (NCR) to maintain strict vigilance and intensify enforcement of Stage I-III actions. These include restrictions on construction activities, curbs on industrial emissions, and enhanced monitoring of vehicular pollution. The commission has said that air quality monitoring and review will continue on a daily basis to prevent further deterioration.

With inputs from ANI