Delhi chokes under hazardous smog as air quality worsens; visibility low

Delhi’s air quality slipped into the hazardous range as dense smog enveloped the city, pushing the AQI to 461 and reducing visibility. Several NCR cities also recorded severe pollution, prompting health concerns and low-visibility procedures at the IGI Airport.

New Delhi: Air pollution in the national capital, which had already deteriorated into the ‘severe’ category, worsened further on Sunday as a thick blanket of toxic smog enveloped the city, pushing air quality to hazardous levels and affecting visibility in several areas.

According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) climbed to 461 at 7 a.m. on Sunday, up from 431 recorded a day earlier. The alarming figures underscored the deepening air quality crisis gripping the national capital.

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All 40 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi reported readings in the ‘severe’ category, with several locations nearing the maximum measurable limit. Rohini emerged as one of the worst-affected areas, recording an AQI of 499, followed closely by Bawana at 498. Vivek Vihar reported 495, while Ashok Vihar and Wazirpur registered AQI levels of 493 each. Narela recorded 492, and Anand Vihar stood at 491.

Other parts of the city also remained heavily polluted. ITO recorded an AQI of 485, Mundaka 486, Punjabi Bagh 478, Nehru Nagar 476, and both Chandni Chowk and Okhla registered readings of 470, reflecting widespread and persistent pollution across the capital city.

The air quality crisis was not confined to Delhi alone, as several cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) also reported dangerously high pollution levels.

Noida recorded an AQI of 470, placing it firmly in the ‘severe’ category, while Ghaziabad followed closely with a hazardous AQI of 460. Gurugram’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category at 348, while Faridabad recorded a comparatively lower but still concerning AQI of 220, classified as ‘poor’.

The worsening pollution was evident from early morning, with dense smog mixed with fog engulfing the region. In several areas, visibility dropped to near zero, severely disrupting early-morning movement.

The reduced visibility prompted authorities to activate low-visibility procedures at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. While flight operations continued, officials said pilots were operating under precautionary protocols due to fluctuating and poor visibility conditions.

Issuing a warning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said that visibility at the IGI Airport would likely fall to as low as 100 metres during the early morning hours on Sunday due to dense fog, before improving to around 800 metres later in the day as shallow fog conditions prevailed.

The combination of stagnant weather conditions, dense fog and persistent emissions continues to worsen air quality, raising serious health concerns for residents across Delhi and the NCR.