Delhi air quality improves slightly but stays ‘poor’; dense fog, cold wave forecast

Delhi saw a marginal dip in pollution levels on Wednesday, with the overall AQI falling from 310 to 269, but air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category. Smog persisted across the city as IMD warned of dense fog and a cold wave.

New Delhi: Delhi witnessed a marginal improvement in air quality on Wednesday morning, offering slight relief to residents, even as pollution levels remained firmly in the ‘poor’ category.

According to data from the Sameer app, the national capital’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 269, improving from 310 on Tuesday. Despite the decline, the air quality remained far from satisfactory, and much of the city stayed enveloped in a visible smog layer.

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Official monitoring showed that 28 stations across Delhi recorded air quality in the ‘poor’ range, while nine stations remained in the ‘very poor’ category. The worst readings on Wednesday morning were reported at Dwarka’s NSIT (324) and Bawana (319), both reflecting severely degraded air quality.

Several other areas, including Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Nehru Nagar, Pusa, Vivek Vihar, and Wazirpur, also registered AQI levels above 300, placing them in the ‘very poor’ bracket. Only three monitoring locations — Aya Nagar, IGI Airport (T3), and Mandir Marg — recorded comparatively better, ‘moderate’ air quality.

On Tuesday, Delhi’s morning AQI stood at 292, also in the ‘poor’ category. Pockets such as Akshardham, Ghazipur, and Anand Vihar had slipped into the ‘very poor’ range with readings around 319, underscoring the rapid fluctuations in pollution levels brought on by weather conditions and pollutant accumulation.

Alongside the persistent pollution, Delhi is also bracing for a sharper turn in winter conditions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast dense fog and a cold wave for Wednesday, warning of reduced visibility and a significant drop in temperatures. The minimum temperature is expected to fall to 7 degrees Celsius, making early mornings and nights particularly chilly for residents.

The IMD added that the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 25 degrees Celsius, suggesting continued cold mornings even as daytime temperatures offer some respite.

With smog, cold winds, and low temperatures persisting, Delhi residents are likely to face another challenging week as winter pollution tightens its grip on the city.