Delhi AQI nears severe at 387, half of monitoring stations in red before Diwali

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the fifth straight day on Friday, with AQI rising to 387 and 28 monitoring stations recording 'severe' levels, as the capital braces for further deterioration ahead of Diwali.

In Short

• Delhi records 'very poor' air quality for fifth consecutive day with AQI at 387
• 28 monitoring stations report 'severe' pollution levels, Rohini worst affected at AQI 473
• Weather conditions and Diwali expected to further degrade air quality over weekend

With Diwali just days away, Delhi is witnessing a steady deterioration in air quality, as a thick layer of smog blankets the capital and pollution levels edge closer to the 'severe' mark. The city's air quality remained 'very poor' for the fifth consecutive day on Friday, with forecasts warning of a further deterioration by evening.

Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 387 at 7 am on Friday, up from 368 recorded at the same time on Thursday, while 28 monitoring stations across the capital had already registered 'severe' air quality, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The pollution levels have been steadily climbing through the week, with the average AQI at 377 on Wednesday, 350 on Tuesday and 324 on Monday.

The worsening air quality was reflected across several parts of the city. Of the 59 active monitoring stations in Delhi, 28 recorded 'severe' air quality, with Rohini emerging as the worst-affected area at an AQI of 473, according to CPCB data.

Punjabi Bagh followed closely with an AQI of 464, while RK Puram recorded 441. Alipur and Sonia Vihar both reported 435, North Campus recorded 424 and Okhla Phase 2 registered 426. ITO stood at 420, while Najafgarh recorded 412.

Other monitoring stations also reported high pollution levels, with Anand Vihar at 350, Chandni Chowk at 386, Lodhi Road at 306 and Pusa at 393.

Under CPCB's classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) had also forecast that Delhi's air quality could slip into the 'severe' category from Friday through Sunday.

"The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in the severe to very poor category," the AQEWS bulletin said.

With Diwali approaching, the combination of firecracker emissions, the peak stubble-burning season and unfavourable weather conditions could further compound the pollution crisis.

The Air Quality Early Warning System has also flagged unfavourable meteorological conditions as a key factor behind the anticipated deterioration.

The ventilation index is expected to remain below 6,000 square metres per second, while average wind speeds are likely to stay below 10 kmph, conditions that are unfavourable for the dispersal of pollutants.

Explaining the likely weather pattern, Skymet's Mahesh Palawat said moderate northwesterly winds originating from northwest Rajasthan were expected to prevail over Delhi until November 7. Light easterly winds are likely to set in from the night of November 8, potentially helping disperse pollutants to some extent on Diwali.

However, the respite could be short-lived. Palawat said air quality could deteriorate again on November 9, the day after Diwali, as easterly winds weaken further, allowing pollutants to accumulate and potentially pushing AQI levels higher.

- Ends