New Delhi: The National Capital Region’s air quality sharply declined Wednesday as the city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) surged past the 350 mark, hitting 366 by mid-morning. This plunge into the “very poor” category left residents grappling with toxic air, a recurring issue for the Delhi and its adjoining cities including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad.
By 4 PM, the AQI had slightly improved to 364, but the pollution levels remained significantly higher than Tuesday’s average of 327, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Experts predict that the air quality will continue to deteriorate, potentially crossing into the “severe” category in the coming days.
Current AQI across different parts of Delhi
| LOCATIONS | Status | AQI-US | PM2.5 | PM10 | Temp | Humid |
| Alipur | UNHEALTHY | 248 | 198 | 355 | 24 | 25 |
| Anand Lok | UNHEALTHY | 209 | 159 | 233 | 26 | 25 |
| Anand Parbat | UNHEALTHY | 219 | 169 | 252 | 26 | 25 |
| Anand Vihar | UNHEALTHY | 213 | 163 | 284 | 24 | 41 |
| Ashok Vihar Phase 1 | UNHEALTHY | 257 | 207 | 295 | 25 | 26 |
| Ashok Vihar Phase 2 | UNHEALTHY | 261 | 211 | 298 | 25 | 26 |
| Ashok Vihar Phase 3 | UNHEALTHY | 250 | 200 | 286 | 26 | 25 |
| Ashok Vihar Phase 4 | UNHEALTHY | 251 | 201 | 286 | 25 | 26 |
| Bali Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 215 | 165 | 265 | 25 | 26 |
| Bawana Industrial Area | UNHEALTHY | 252 | 202 | 300 | 26 | 25 |
| Bhalswa Landfill | UNHEALTHY | 253 | 203 | 292 | 25 | 27 |
| Chanakya Puri | UNHEALTHY | 211 | 161 | 218 | 26 | 25 |
| Civil Lines | UNHEALTHY | 219 | 169 | 237 | 26 | 25 |
| Connaught Place | UNHEALTHY | 220 | 170 | 232 | 26 | 25 |
| Darya Ganj | UNHEALTHY | 220 | 170 | 237 | 28 | 24 |
| Deepali | UNHEALTHY | 242 | 192 | 283 | 25 | 26 |
| Defence Colony | UNHEALTHY | 209 | 159 | 233 | 26 | 25 |
| Delhi Cantt | UNHEALTHY | 211 | 161 | 218 | 26 | 25 |
| Delhi Gymkhana Club | UNHEALTHY | 201 | 151 | 205 | 26 | 25 |
| Delhi Institute Of Tool Engineering | UNHEALTHY | 279 | 229 | 323 | 24 | 25 |
| Diplomatic Enclave | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 215 | 26 | 25 |
| Dwarka Sector 10 | UNHEALTHY | 216 | 166 | 256 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 11 | UNHEALTHY | 214 | 164 | 255 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 12 | UNHEALTHY | 212 | 162 | 255 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 18B | UNHEALTHY | 211 | 161 | 255 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 23 | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 242 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 3 | UNHEALTHY | 209 | 159 | 249 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 5 | UNHEALTHY | 204 | 154 | 238 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 6 | UNHEALTHY | 212 | 162 | 255 | 25 | 26 |
| Dwarka Sector 7 | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 242 | 25 | 26 |
| East Patel Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 237 | 26 | 24 |
| Embassy of Belgium | UNHEALTHY | 219 | 169 | 232 | 26 | 24 |
| Ghazipur | POOR | 196 | 142 | 246 | 26 | 26 |
| Golf Links | UNHEALTHY | 211 | 161 | 227 | 28 | 24 |
| Greater Kailash | POOR | 198 | 147 | 224 | 26 | 26 |
| Greater Kailash II | POOR | 199 | 149 | 227 | 26 | 26 |
| Green Park | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 219 | 26 | 25 |
| GTB Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 204 | 154 | 246 | 25 | 27 |
| Gulmohar Park Block B | POOR | 199 | 148 | 210 | 26 | 25 |
| Hari Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 218 | 168 | 266 | 25 | 26 |
| Hastsal | UNHEALTHY | 215 | 165 | 256 | 25 | 26 |
| Hauz Khas | POOR | 199 | 148 | 203 | 26 | 25 |
| Hazrat Nizamuddin | UNHEALTHY | 205 | 155 | 220 | 26 | 25 |
| HT House | UNHEALTHY | 225 | 175 | 238 | 28 | 24 |
| I P Extension | POOR | 197 | 145 | 252 | 26 | 26 |
| Ihbas | UNHEALTHY | 230 | 180 | 284 | 23 | 41 |
| Inderlok | UNHEALTHY | 230 | 180 | 261 | 26 | 25 |
| ITI Jahangirpuri | UNHEALTHY | 279 | 229 | 323 | 24 | 25 |
| ITI Shahdra | POOR | 196 | 142 | 238 | 22 | 58 |
| Janakpuri | UNHEALTHY | 216 | 166 | 258 | 25 | 26 |
| Jangpura | UNHEALTHY | 206 | 156 | 223 | 26 | 25 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | UNHEALTHY | 223 | 173 | 245 | 26 | 23 |
| Kalkaji | UNHEALTHY | 210 | 160 | 243 | 26 | 26 |
| Karol Bagh | UNHEALTHY | 224 | 174 | 254 | 26 | 25 |
| Kashmiri Gate ISBT | UNHEALTHY | 212 | 162 | 231 | 26 | 25 |
| Katwaria Sarai | UNHEALTHY | 212 | 162 | 214 | 26 | 25 |
| Kohat Enclave | UNHEALTHY | 260 | 210 | 300 | 25 | 26 |
| Lajpat Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 212 | 162 | 234 | 26 | 24 |
| LIC Colony | UNHEALTHY | 236 | 186 | 286 | 25 | 26 |
| Loni | UNHEALTHY | 239 | 189 | 276 | 24 | 25 |
| Loni Dehat | UNHEALTHY | 225 | 175 | 233 | 25 | 26 |
| Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium | UNHEALTHY | 224 | 174 | 237 | 26 | 24 |
| Malviya Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 213 | 163 | 213 | 26 | 25 |
| Mandir Marg | UNHEALTHY | 239 | 189 | 258 | 26 | 23 |
| Mayur Vihar | POOR | 192 | 135 | 234 | 26 | 26 |
| Model Town | UNHEALTHY | 257 | 207 | 288 | 26 | 25 |
| Mori Gate | UNHEALTHY | 220 | 170 | 237 | 26 | 25 |
| Mother Dairy Plant | UNHEALTHY | 203 | 153 | 266 | 25 | 25 |
| Mukherjee Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 247 | 197 | 262 | 26 | 25 |
| Mundka | UNHEALTHY | 246 | 196 | 300 | 24 | 25 |
| Mustafabad | UNHEALTHY | 219 | 169 | 239 | 25 | 26 |
| Naraina Industrial Area | UNHEALTHY | 207 | 157 | 249 | 25 | 26 |
| Narela | UNHEALTHY | 256 | 206 | 325 | 25 | 25 |
| New Delhi Us Embassy | UNHEALTHY | 239 | 189 | 258 | 26 | 23 |
| New Friends Colony | UNHEALTHY | 203 | 153 | 234 | 26 | 24 |
| New Sarup Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 264 | 214 | 308 | 25 | 27 |
| Niti Marg | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 215 | 26 | 25 |
| Okhla Phase II | UNHEALTHY | 208 | 158 | 238 | 26 | 58 |
| Panchsheel Vihar | POOR | 200 | 150 | 216 | 26 | 25 |
| Paschim Vihar | UNHEALTHY | 215 | 165 | 265 | 25 | 26 |
| PGDAV College | UNHEALTHY | 216 | 166 | 256 | 25 | 34 |
| Pooth Khurd | UNHEALTHY | 271 | 221 | 315 | 25 | 25 |
| Prashant Vihar | UNHEALTHY | 268 | 218 | 314 | 25 | 26 |
| Punjabi Bagh | UNHEALTHY | 224 | 174 | 290 | 25 | 24 |
| Punjabi Bagh Block D | UNHEALTHY | 232 | 182 | 281 | 25 | 26 |
| Pusa | UNHEALTHY | 212 | 162 | 256 | 25 | 24 |
| Raghubir Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 216 | 166 | 265 | 25 | 26 |
| Rajinder Nagar | UNHEALTHY | 216 | 166 | 243 | 26 | 24 |
| Ramesh Park | UNHEALTHY | 222 | 172 | 254 | 26 | 26 |
| RK Puram | UNHEALTHY | 221 | 171 | 228 | 25 | 24 |
| RK Puram North Block | UNHEALTHY | 202 | 152 | 205 | 26 | 24 |
| Rohini Sector 10 | UNHEALTHY | 255 | 205 | 304 | 25 | 26 |
| Rohini Sector 15 | UNHEALTHY | 260 | 210 | 308 | 25 | 26 |
| Rohini Sector 24 | UNHEALTHY | 258 | 208 | 307 | 25 | 26 |
| Rohini Sector 30 | UNHEALTHY | 261 | 211 | 309 | 25 | 26 |
| Rohini Sector 5 | UNHEALTHY | 249 | 199 | 292 | 25 | 26 |
| Rohini Sector 7 | UNHEALTHY | 265 | 215 | 312 | 25 | 26 |
| Safdarjung Enclave | UNHEALTHY | 201 | 151 | 208 | 26 | 25 |
| Saket | UNHEALTHY | 201 | 151 | 206 | 26 | 25 |
| Saket Block C | UNHEALTHY | 215 | 165 | 221 | 26 | 25 |
Pollution expected to rise further; Warmer than usual days
Notably according to the CPCB, the primary pollutants on Wednesday were PM10 and PM2.5 particles, with emissions from the city’s transport sector contributing 13.5 per cent to PM2.5 levels. Stubble burning played a significant role, accounting for 11.1 per cent of PM2.5 pollution, the highest recorded this season. This figure is expected to rise to 15 per cent by Thursday as winds continue to carry smoke from agricultural fires towards the city.
In addition to poor air quality, Delhi has been experiencing warmer-than-usual weather. Wednesday’s minimum temperature was recorded at 20.5 degrees Celsius, which is three degrees above the seasonal average. The maximum temperature reached 33.1 degrees Celsius, a degree higher than normal.
