Delhi struggles with 'very poor' air: AQI 377, as fog and pollution converge

New Delhi: The national capital continued to battle hazardous air pollution on Thursday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the ‘very poor’ category at 377, despite a slight improvement from previous days, official data showed.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), pollution levels stayed alarmingly high across several parts of the city. The Swaminarayan Akshardham area recorded an AQI of 377, while ITO stood at 331 and the AIIMS area at 359.

Several pollution hotspots reported similarly poor readings, including Anand Vihar (379), Ashok Vihar (333) and Wazirpur (336). Other areas such as Punjabi Bagh (338), RK Puram (359), Bawana (323), Chandni Chowk (361) and Dwarka Sector 8 (342) also remained in the ‘very poor’ category, CPCB data showed.

On Wednesday, CPCB’s Sameer app indicated that 29 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while nine stations were in the ‘poor’ category, highlighting the widespread and persistent nature of winter pollution in the city.

In response to fluctuating air quality levels, the Delhi government announced that parking charges at authorised sites will be doubled during periods of severe pollution. The measure will apply when AQI enters the ‘severe’ range (401–450) under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III and ‘severe plus’ levels (above 450) under GRAP Stage IV, to discourage private vehicle use and curb emissions.

Earlier, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked GRAP Stage IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR on Tuesday following a marginal improvement in air quality, though authorities continue to closely monitor conditions.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported moderate to dense fog across parts of Delhi, further affecting visibility and daily life. The temperature stood at around 7.4°C at 7 am.

The IMD forecast generally cloudy skies on January 22, with light rain expected over Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region. Showers may be accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph, with another spell likely later in the day.

Cold wave and dense fog conditions also persisted across parts of North India, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Adampur was the coldest location in the plains, recording a minimum temperature of 2.6°C. Reduced visibility increased the risk of road accidents, while cold wave conditions continued in parts of Himachal Pradesh.

IANS