Delhi: Air quality in the national capital showed signs of recovery on Friday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping to 183 at 8 am, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board. The reading placed the city in the ‘moderate’ category, an improvement from Thursday’s 209 and Wednesday’s 294, both of which fell in the ‘poor’ bracket.
Weather conditions were relatively cool and humid in the early hours. The India Meteorological Department reported a temperature of 12 degrees Celsius around 7 am, with humidity levels touching 95 per cent — factors that can influence pollutant dispersion.
Despite the overall improvement, several localities continued to register elevated pollution levels. Mundka recorded an AQI of 230, while Shadipur stood at 248 and Jahangirpuri at 245. Other areas such as Rohini (221), Bawana (220), Narela (215), Sirifort (218), Nehru Nagar (207), Wazirpur (207), Ashok Vihar (201), and Vivek Vihar (204) remained in the ‘poor’ range. Chandani Chowk reported 176, and Pusa showed relatively cleaner air at 142.
In contrast, a few monitoring stations indicated comparatively better air quality. Sri Aurobindo Marg registered 123, Lodhi Road 135, Major Dhyan Chand Stadium 142, Mandir Marg 141, IIT Delhi 144, Dwarka Sector-8 190, and IGI Airport 141, placing them largely within the ‘moderate’ category.
Under the AQI scale, readings between 0 and 50 are classified as ‘good’, 51 to 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 as ‘poor’, 301 to 400 as ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 as ‘severe’.
The city had recorded mixed readings a day earlier as well. While locations such as Sri Aurobindo Marg (159), IIT Delhi (158), Lodhi Road (164), IGI Airport (165), Mandir Marg (166), Aya Nagar (168), and Chandani Chowk (167) reflected moderate levels, industrial and outer zones including Mundka (275), Sirifort (277), Bawana (263), Wazirpur (259), and Pusa (257) were firmly in the ‘poor’ band.
The ongoing fluctuations in air quality have also sparked political debate. The Aam Aadmi Party recently questioned the credibility of pollution data, alleging that the installation of new AQI monitoring stations in greener and less congested pockets by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led administration could distort the overall assessment of Delhi’s pollution levels.
As winter approaches, environmental experts warn that sustained monitoring and coordinated mitigation efforts will be crucial to prevent further deterioration in air quality across the capital.
