Delhi-NCR reels under severe cold wave as air quality turns hazardous

Delhi-NCR continues to face a severe cold wave with dense fog and hazardous air quality, as AQI levels cross severe thresholds across the region. The IMD has issued a yellow alert while flight operations remain affected by low visibility.

New Delhi: The Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) continues to grapple with an intense winter spell, as bone-chilling cold wave conditions persist, worsening both weather and air quality across the region. The situation in the national capital remains extremely concerning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing the 350 mark in several areas, placing air quality in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories.

According to official data, an AQI of 384 was recorded in Chandni Chowk, 376 in Ashok Vihar, 373 in Bawana, 386 in Punjabi Bagh, 383 in Okhla Phase-2, and 399 in Pusa. Nehru Nagar reported an AQI of 397, falling under the “very severe” category. Meanwhile, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 345, while Alipur stood at 332, both indicating very poor air quality.

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In Noida, air quality remained consistently poor across all active monitoring stations. Sector-1 recorded an AQI of 359, Sector-125 stood at 352, Sector-116 at 347, and Sector-62 at 342, highlighting the toxic air conditions prevailing in the city. Some areas, such as Mathura Road, recorded relatively lower AQI levels at 259; however, this too remained in the poor category.

Ghaziabad also continued to remain under the grip of pollution. An AQI of 312 was recorded in Sanjay Nagar, while Indirapuram registered an AQI of 282, indicating that air pollution continues to pose a serious health risk for residents across the NCR.

Along with worsening air quality, weather conditions have added to the difficulties faced by residents.

There was no respite from dense fog on Thursday as a thick layer enveloped the Delhi-NCR region, significantly reducing visibility and disrupting daily life. Several parts of the national capital and surrounding areas reported extremely low visibility, with some locations experiencing near zero-visibility conditions.

The capital continues to shiver under severe winter conditions and has remained in the grip of a cold wave for the fourth consecutive day.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Delhi on Thursday, warning of cold wave conditions at isolated places.

The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is likely to hover between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius. The IMD has advised residents to remain cautious as cold conditions and dense fog are expected to persist.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, marginally above normal, while the minimum temperature dropped to 3.8 degrees Celsius, significantly below the seasonal average. According to the IMD, Delhi is experiencing one of its coldest spells in recent years.

Meanwhile, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has warned passengers of possible flight delays due to dense fog. In an advisory, DIAL stated that flights are operating under CAT III conditions and advised passengers to check with airlines for the latest updates.