Delhi is ‘most polluted’ city at AQI 335, temperature dips to 11°C in morning

The national capital on Saturday recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 335 at 9 am placing Delhi in the ‘red zone’ and making it the most polluted city in the country, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

PM2.5 remained the key pollutant on Saturday. Since Diwali, the national capital’s air quality has been either ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, occasionally worsening to ‘severe’.

Delhi’s temperatures continued to dip, with the mercury settling at 11°C, three notches below the seasonal average.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 28.6°C, 0.9° below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In comparison, the city had recorded minimum temperatures of 9.5°C on October 29 last year, 9.2°C on October 23 in 2023, and 7.3°C on October 29 in 2022, indicating a slightly delayed onset of winter this year.

The IMD has forecast mainly clear sky for the day.