Delhi Sees Improvement In Air Quality As Several Areas Report Moderate AQI

Delhi recorded a slight improvement in air quality on Thursday morning, following the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas revoking Stage IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The move comes after pollution levels showed a sustained decline.

Although the city’s overall air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category, with an average AQI of 221, several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region reported improved conditions, registering readings in the ‘moderate’ range.

Notable readings on Thursday morning included India Gate and Kartavya Path at 350, Akshardham at 245, Sir Aurobindo Marg at 159, IGI Airport at 119, and Lodhi Road at 133.

These figures indicate better air quality in several prominent locations, marking a shift after weeks of ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ pollution levels.

According to AQI classification, readings from 0–50 are considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.

The improvement in readings has offered some relief to residents after the city experienced critically high pollution in recent weeks.

Fog Warning Across Northern States

Despite better air quality, a fog advisory remains in effect for Delhi and neighbouring regions during the morning hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a very high probability of dense to very dense fog across Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, the Jammu region, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Authorities issued additional warnings for isolated areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, East Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Odisha, West Bengal, and Sikkim, signalling widespread foggy conditions across several states.

Authorities enforced Stage IV measures on 13 December after Delhi’s AQI soared above 400, entering the ‘severe’ category.

Following days of extreme pollution, dense fog, and poor visibility, Wednesday saw a notable improvement, with the city’s average AQI dropping to 271 from 412 the previous day.

Officials emphasised that authorities will continue enforcing preventive measures under Stages I–III of the GRAP framework, even after lifting Stage IV curbs, to prevent a further rise in pollution levels.

Also Read: Delhi-NCR Sees Slight Improvement In Air Quality; AQI Remains In ‘Very Poor’ Category