Delhi’s air quality worsened on Sunday, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 196 at 10am, its highest reading in more than 82 days, as dry weather, sluggish winds and localised emissions contributed to a rise in pollution levels, officials said.
The reading was the highest since July 13, when Delhi recorded an AQI of 246, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The city’s AQI had risen steadily over the past few days, from 166 on Thursday to 174 on Friday and 171 on Saturday.
PM10 remained the dominant pollutant, with the overall index at the higher end of the ‘moderate’ category. Delhi Cantonment recorded the lowest AQI among the city’s monitoring stations at 115.
Several areas slip into poor category
Of Delhi’s 43 active air quality monitoring stations, 22 recorded readings in the ‘poor’ category on Sunday. Mundka registered the highest AQI at 282, followed by Narela at 262, Jahangirpuri at 248 and Okhla at 232.
Under CPCB standards, an AQI between zero and 50 is 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 deterioration comes after September, when Delhi experienced comparatively cleaner air. An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air found that the city’s October 1 AQI of 166 was its highest start to the month in four years, with the previous higher reading recorded in 2022.
No rain expected over Delhi in coming days
The India Meteorological Department has forecast no rain in Delhi over the coming week. The city is expected to have clear skies on Monday, followed by partly cloudy conditions from Tuesday.
The minimum temperature on Sunday was 24.1°C, while the maximum is expected to remain between 35°C and 37°C.
The IMD’s Delhi-NCR forecast also indicates mainly clear conditions through Monday, with partly cloudy skies expected from October 6.
The absence of rainfall is significant for air quality because wet conditions can help remove pollutants from the atmosphere. Weak winds, meanwhile, can allow locally generated emissions to accumulate over the city.
Temperatures likely to remain high
Amateur meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya said October heat was gradually taking over, with maximum temperatures expected to rise to around 37°C to 40°C in parts of Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh.
He said a series of mild western disturbances was expected to begin from October 7, with the possibility of a moderate western disturbance after October 10. These systems could bring precipitation to the plains of north India and early snowfall over the western Himalayas.
Dahiya added that the next noticeable drop in temperatures was expected after October 10, while isolated rain on October 7 and 8 could cause a minor dip in temperatures.
Pollution monitoring to intensify
The worsening air quality comes as the Delhi government has stepped up preparations for monitoring pollution sources. The government has launched an Integrated Command and Control Centre to track pollution in real time using artificial intelligence-based analysis.
The system is intended to connect data from air quality monitoring stations with field-level enforcement. During winter, 78 field teams are expected to be deployed with GPS-enabled vehicles, while more than 700 construction sites are under AI and CCTV surveillance. The system will also monitor road sweeping and pollution sources such as road dust, open burning and construction activity.
With Delhi’s AQI now close to the 200 mark, further deterioration could push the city into the ‘poor’ category under CPCB’s classification.