Delhi’s air quality took a severe hit on Sunday, as thick smog and stagnant winds pushed pollution levels deep into the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories across the capital and its surrounding regions.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 372 at 6:30 a.m., signalling dangerously unhealthy conditions. Several neighbourhoods, including Wazirpur (425), RK Puram (418), Bawana (410), Rohini (409), and Dwarka (401), reported AQI readings above 400, levels classified as ‘severe’ and potentially hazardous to health.
Most other monitoring stations across Delhi recorded AQI values between 300 and 400, indicating widespread toxic air. The situation was only marginally better in the NCR cities, where Gurugram (325), Ghaziabad (322), Faridabad (312), Noida (301), and Greater Noida (308) also reported ‘very poor’ air quality.
Meteorological officials attributed the worsening conditions to calm morning winds and high humidity — around 73 percent on Saturday evening — which trapped pollutants close to the ground. Delhi’s temperature ranged from 19.4°C to 30.5°C, slightly cooler than average but still conducive to the formation of dense smog.
