Delhi: Delhi residents began Tuesday under a blanket of dense haze and toxic air, as pollution levels surged sharply across the city, pushing air quality into the hazardous range at a majority of monitoring locations. Thick fog combined with stagnant weather conditions led to a dramatic deterioration in breathing conditions during the early morning hours.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that by 9 am, the capital’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) had climbed to 415, placing it firmly in the ‘severe’ category. This marked a significant decline from the previous day, when air quality had been classified as ‘very poor’.
Of the 40 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi, 27 reported AQI readings above 400, a threshold associated with serious health risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Five locations recorded even higher pollution levels, entering the ‘severe plus’ category. Anand Vihar emerged as the most polluted area with an AQI of 470, followed by Nehru Nagar, Okhla, Mundka, and Sirifort, according to readings from the CPCB’s SAMEER application.
Under CPCB guidelines, AQI values above 400 indicate ‘severe’ air quality, signalling extreme exposure risks and the likelihood of respiratory distress even among healthy individuals.
Weather conditions further compounded the problem. Dense fog significantly reduced visibility during the morning hours, affecting movement across parts of the city. Palam recorded visibility as low as 50 metres around 8 am, accompanied by light west-southwesterly winds, while Safdarjung saw visibility drop to 100 metres with near-calm wind conditions. Visibility showed marginal improvement by 8.30 am but remained poor in many areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Delhi’s minimum temperature dipped to 8.8 degrees Celsius, slightly above the seasonal average. The maximum temperature for the day is expected to reach around 23 degrees Celsius, with dense fog likely to persist through much of the day.
Authorities have urged residents to limit outdoor activities, especially during early morning hours, as pollution and weather conditions continue to pose serious health and safety concerns.
