New Delhi: Air pollution levels in the national capital showed a slight improvement on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) moving down to the “very poor” category, even as weather officials warned of a drop in temperatures over the coming days.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall AQI stood at 349 in the morning hours. While visibility improved marginally and smog appeared thinner in some areas, several monitoring stations across the city continued to report readings close to the “severe” threshold.
A day earlier, Delhi had ranked among the most polluted cities in the country. On Tuesday, Noida topped the list, while Delhi stood second, with both cities witnessing severe air quality. The 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 412 in Delhi and 426 in Noida, with dense smog affecting daily life, particularly during early morning hours.
Under CPCB classification, AQI levels above 300 are considered harmful, with values exceeding 400 falling into the severe category, posing serious health risks, especially for vulnerable groups.
An analysis by the Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management indicated that traffic-related emissions were the biggest contributor to Delhi’s pollution load on Tuesday, accounting for over 14 per cent. Industrial activity in and around the capital was the second-largest source, followed by emissions from construction work and waste burning.
Despite the slight improvement, authorities expect pollution levels to remain a concern. The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast “very poor” air quality conditions for Delhi over the next five days.
On the weather front, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 23.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was above the seasonal average, while the minimum settled at 8.8 degrees Celsius. For Wednesday, the Met office has predicted moderate fog, with temperatures ranging between 9 and 19 degrees Celsius.
IMD officials also indicated that a further drop in night temperatures is likely. Minimum temperatures across northwest and central India, including Delhi, are expected to fall by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next 24 hours. In the capital, the mercury is likely to dip to around 7 degrees Celsius from Thursday onwards, signalling colder mornings ahead.
