New Delhi: Delhi was blanketed in dense smog on Sunday morning, with the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 381 at 7 am—firmly in the ‘very poor’ category—despite the implementation of the strictest Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) measures across the National Capital Region, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The national capital showed little improvement from the previous morning’s AQI of 359 as thick layers of toxic haze persisted across major localities. Bawana remained the most polluted location with an alarming AQI of 435, placing it in the ‘severe’ bracket, while NSIT Dwarka reported the lowest pollution level at 313, still categorised as ‘very poor’.
Anand Vihar also continued to suffer under hazardous air, recording an AQI of 429. Other major monitoring stations reflected similar readings: Chandni Chowk at 390, RK Puram 397, ITO 384, Punjabi Bagh 411, Patparganj 401, Pusa 360, and Dwarka Sector-8 at 386. Iconic landmarks such as India Gate and Kartavya Path were barely visible through the haze, with pollution levels at 388.
As per the AQI scale, readings between 0–50 are considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’ and 401–500 ‘severe’.
On Saturday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revised the implementation of GRAP across the NCR, announcing that measures previously falling under GRAP-IV would now be imposed at GRAP-III. Under this revision, state governments—including the GNCTD—may decide on reducing attendance in public, municipal and private offices to 50 percent, with the rest permitted to work from home. The central government is also considering similar work-from-home options for its employees.
Meanwhile, political tensions escalated over the deteriorating air quality. AAP’s Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the pollution crisis had reached a public health emergency due to what he described as manipulation of air quality data and a failure to enforce necessary restrictions. He accused the BJP-run Delhi Government of underreporting AQI levels—recording actual readings of 500–700 as 300–400—to avoid triggering mandatory bans, allowing construction activities to continue in violation of GRAP guidelines.
