As Delhi struggles to breathe, govt claims air quality better than last year
No let-up in smog; AQI nears 500 at several places
Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category on Monday, with the air quality index (AQI) nearing 500 mark at several locations.
Amidst alarming pollution levels, a Delhi government analysis has reported an overall improvement in the air quality in 2025 as compared to 2024.
Residents once again woke up to a thick layer of smog on Monday as Delhi’s average air quality index stood at 456 at 6 am. Four monitoring stations - Rohini, Wazirpur, Ashok Vihar and Jahangirpuri - recorded AQI levels above 500, beyond the measurable range, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
As many as 23 out of 40 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded AQI above 450 between 6 am and 1 pm.
The daily average AQI recorded at 4 pm was 461 on Sunday, 431 on December 13, 349 on December 12, 307 on December 11 and 259 on December 10. On Monday, Delhi’s average AQI at 4 pm was 427. Noida recorded an AQI of 433, Greater Noida 444, Ghaziabad 438, Gurugram 321, Faridabad 208 and Sonipat 285.
Amid these conditions, the Delhi Government released a comparative analysis of air quality data for 2024 and 2025, based on records till December 9. The analysis stated that air quality in 2025 showed improvement across most months, with more days in the ‘satisfactory’ category and fewer days in the ‘severe’ category.
According to the report, the number of ‘satisfactory’ days increased from 66 in 2024 to 79 in 2025, while ‘severe’ days fell from 11 to three. Average AQI levels improved in eight out of 11 months.
The analysis also showed improvement across all 13 identified pollution hotspots during October and November.
The government said the data reflected the impact of ongoing pollution control measures and winter action plans.
