Delhi AQI, pollution UPDATE: Delhi air quality falls to ‘poor’ category ahead of Diwali; Anand Vihar, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri among most polluted areas

Due to the rising pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR implemented Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-1) to control emissions.

Air pollution in Delhi is increasing rapidly, with no improvement expected soon. On Wednesday, October 15, the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 5:30 am was 201, putting it in the ‘Poor’ category. On Tuesday at the same time, the AQI was 200, according to Delhi’s Early Warning System (EWS). The temperature at that time was 19 degrees celsius.

For reference, AQI categories are:

• Good: 0–50
• Satisfactory: 51–100
• Moderately Polluted: 101–200
• Poor: 201–300
• Very Poor: 301–400
• Severe: 401–500

The higher the AQI, the worse the air quality.

The 24-hour average AQI recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was 211 at 4 pm on Tuesday. Among city areas, Anand Vihar remained the most polluted, followed by Wazirpur.

Other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) are also struggling with poor air. In Noida, the AQI jumped from 228 at 5 am to 369 at 7 am. Ghaziabad recorded AQI levels between 320–325, and Faridabad rose from 252 at 5 am to 267 at 7 am. A thick layer of smog was visible over the city.

Due to the rising pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR implemented Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-1) to control emissions. Under Stage I, agencies are required to step up road cleaning and watering to control dust, enforce bans on open waste burning, ensure proper handling of construction debris, and promote public transport.

Most Polluted Localities in Delhi (as per Early Warning System)

According to the latest data, the following areas have the highest AQI readings:

• Anand Vihar: AQI 347
• Wazirpur: AQI 296
• Mathura Road: AQI 294
• Dwarka, Sector 8: AQI 269
• Jahangirpuri: AQI 258
• Shadipur: AQI 232
• Siri Fort: AQI 223
• Mundka: AQI 210
• Narela: AQI 209
• Rohini: AQI 217
• Alipur: AQI 207
• Punjabi Bagh: AQI 225
• Vivek Vihar: AQI 217
• Burari: AQI 198
• Nehru Nagar: AQI 185
• RK Puram: AQI 212
• IGI Airport: AQI 222
• Okhla Phase-2: AQI 223
• Patparganj: AQI 225
• Ashok Vihar: AQI 213

According to the EWS forecast, the Delhi AQI is expected to reach 346 by the evening of October 17. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activities, wear masks when stepping outside.

The AQI hit a maximum of 494 (severe) on November 18 last year – the second worst ever AQI in Delhi’s history. It was 468 (November 3) in 2023 and 450 in 2022 (November 3).