Delhi-NCR Air Quality Deteriorates Ahead of Winter, Multiple Areas Record Poor AQI

Rising pollution has renewed concerns about the health risks of prolonged exposure to polluted air.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed elevated Air Quality Index (AQI) levels across several parts of Delhi. Pusa recorded an AQI of 289, followed by Jahangirpuri at 284, R.K. Puram and Rohini at 281 each, and DTU at 276.

Other areas also reported high pollution levels, including Sirifort at 274, Narela at 273, Dwarka Sector 8 at 268, Mundka at 266, Punjabi Bagh at 275, Bawana at 269, and CRRI Mathura Road at 269. Mandir Marg recorded an AQI of 263, while Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium registered 261.

Several other monitoring locations, including Burari, Anand Vihar, Aya Nagar, Patparganj and Commonwealth Sports Complex, also reported elevated pollution levels.

Temperatures across Delhi-NCR are expected to range from around 19 degrees Celsius to about 32 degrees Celsius as the region transitions to cooler weather.

Delhi recorded its first ‘poor’ air quality day of the season on October 21, when the AQI reached 245, marking its highest reading in approximately 100 days. The deterioration came after Dussehra celebrations in the capital and coincided with reports of stubble burning in neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Firecrackers were also burst in parts of Delhi during the festivities, alongside the traditional burning of Ravana effigies. However, a direct causal link between the celebrations and the subsequent deterioration in air quality has not been established.

**Authorities Activate GRAP Stage I Measures**

Amid worsening air quality, authorities have implemented Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which introduces measures to control dust pollution and address local emission sources.

Under the GRAP framework, Stage I applies when the AQI falls between 201 and 300, classified as ‘poor’. Stage II covers AQI readings between 301 and 400, categorised as ‘very poor’, while Stage III applies to readings between 401 and 450, classified as ‘severe’. Stage IV measures are triggered when the AQI exceeds 450, entering the ‘severe plus’ category.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the implementation of GRAP at this stage of the season was unprecedented in recent years. He added that the government was pursuing both immediate interventions and longer-term strategies to address the capital's pollution problem.

According to Sirsa, an 11-point action plan is being implemented, focusing on dust suppression, encouraging electric vehicle adoption, controlling vehicular emissions and identifying local sources of pollution. He also emphasised public participation and coordination between the Central and Delhi governments.

The government has established an Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) to monitor pollution from construction activities. Authorities are also using an artificial intelligence-based traffic management system to improve traffic movement and help reduce vehicle emissions.

With winter approaching, air quality across the capital and its surrounding areas remains a key environmental concern, particularly for children, senior citizens and people vulnerable to the effects of prolonged exposure to polluted air.