Delhi Wakes Up To Cooler Morning; Pollution Levels Rise Across NCR

Delhi-NCR residents experienced a winter chill on Monday morning as temperatures began to fall across the region, while air quality deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category.

Delhi recorded an overall AQI of 310, reversing the improvement after last week’s rainfall. Alipur reported the highest reading at 382, followed by Chandni Chowk (361), North Campus (359), Dwarka Sector-8 (357) and Sirifort (354). Nangloi, Pusa and Mandir Marg also reported elevated pollution.

The IMD forecast a bright day, with temperatures between 17 and 29 degrees Celsius. Punjab and Haryana are likely to remain dry, while Cyclone Murasu may bring heavy rain to southern and eastern regions. Cooler conditions are spreading across Spiti, Ladakh and Kedarnath.

Meanwhile, Delhi began enforcing its Winter Action Plan on November 1 to curb vehicle emissions, dust pollution and traffic congestion. The measures will remain in force until February 28, with a construction and demolition ban scheduled from December 10 to January 20, barring specified exemptions.

It has also introduced staggered office timings, with Delhi government offices operating from 10 AM to 6:30 PM and Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices from 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

Authorities have doubled parking charges at authorised municipal sites to discourage private vehicle use.

On the first day of enforcement, officials imposed penalties and environmental compensation totalling ₹68.4 lakh. Teams inspected nearly 15,000 vehicles, turned back 1,539 at border points and issued 566 challans for Pollution Under Control Certificate violations.

The penalties included ₹56.6 lakh for PUCC violations, ₹2 lakh for breaches of vehicle entry restrictions and ₹9.8 lakh in environmental compensation for dust-control violations at construction sites.

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