Delhi: New Delhi woke up to a marginal improvement in air quality on Thursday, though pollution levels continued to remain a concern for residents across the capital. According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 275 around 7 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.
The reading marked a modest dip from Wednesday, when the AQI had crossed 312 and slipped into the ‘very poor’ bracket. Despite the slight relief, a haze lingered over several parts of the city, underlining that air quality conditions are still far from comfortable.
Several monitoring stations continued to report troubling levels of pollution. Areas such as Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8, RK Puram, Rohini, Bawana and Patparganj recorded AQI values in the ‘very poor’ range, with readings hovering above the 300 mark.
Some pockets of the capital fared relatively better. Locations including Aya Nagar, Chandni Chowk and Sonia Vihar showed improved readings, though they too remained within the ‘poor’ category. Other areas such as DTU, Mandir Marg, Najafgarh and CRRI Mathura Road also reported similar pollution levels. Narela emerged as a comparatively cleaner zone, recording an AQI of 195, which falls under the ‘moderate’ category.
Under the national AQI classification, values between 201 and 300 are considered ‘poor’, while readings above 300 indicate ‘very poor’ air quality, posing increased health risks, particularly for children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.
Meanwhile, weather conditions may offer temporary relief. Earlier this week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Delhi, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds in isolated areas. Similar weather patterns were predicted for neighbouring regions of Haryana and Chandigarh.
Light rainfall was reported in parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region during the early morning hours, signalling the onset of a more active weather phase. The IMD has indicated that thunderstorms, strong winds and even hail could affect several states, which may help disperse pollutants in the short term.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as residents hope for sustained improvement in air quality in the days ahead.
