AQI worsens in Delhi ahead of Diwali, ‘poor’ for 5th day

Delhi’s air quality continued its downward spiral on Saturday, lingering in the “poor” category for the fifth day in a row, with several areas already slipping into the “very poor” zone as pollution levels spiked ahead of Diwali.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 268 at 4 pm, placing it firmly in the “poor” range. Of the 38 monitoring stations across the capital, nine recorded readings in the “very poor” category—some nearing the “severe” mark.

Anand Vihar remained the most polluted location with an AQI of 389, followed by Wazirpur (351), Jahangirpuri (310), Dwarka (310), Vivek Vihar (306), Siri Fort (307), Okhla (303) and Bawana (309), CPCB data showed.

Air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) also showed no respite. Ghaziabad’s AQI was recorded at a worrying 324 (“very poor”), while Noida and Gurugram reported “poor” levels at 298 and 258, respectively.

As per the CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51–100 “satisfactory”, 101–200 “moderate”, 201–300 “poor”, 301–400 “very poor”, and 401–500 “severe”.

The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has predicted similar conditions over the next few days, warning of a possible worsening of pollution levels as festive activities, vehicle emissions, and stagnant weather combine.

According to the Decision Support System, vehicular emissions remained the single largest source of pollution on Saturday, contributing nearly 15.6% of Delhi’s total emissions. Experts warn that this share could rise further with the increase in traffic during Diwali festivities.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast clear skies for Sunday, with daytime temperatures likely to hover around 33°C and minimum temperatures near 19°C.

With pollution levels showing little sign of improvement, authorities are expected to ramp up monitoring and enforcement measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to prevent further deterioration in the coming days.