Delhi Shivers As Cold Wave Grips City; Smog Keeps AQI In 'Very Poor' Category
Delhi shivered under winter smog with AQI at 333 in ‘very poor’ range, as pollution levels rose alongside the season’s coldest morning.
A dense layer of smog settled over the national capital on Saturday, pushing the Air Quality Index (AQI) to 333, firmly in the very poor category and a notch higher than the previous day. Even as the pollution thickened, residents continued to battle a sharp winter chill, with the India Meteorological Department noting that Friday marked the coldest December morning of the season so far at 5.6°C.
Mundka Records Capital’s Worst Air
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data at 7 am, Mundka registered the highest pollution level with an AQI of 381. Of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations, 35 reported very poor air quality, while the remaining four fell in the poor bracket.
Among the stations choking under very poor pollution levels were RK Puram (364), Punjabi Bagh (348), Chandni Chowk (348), Rohini (374), Vivek Vihar (309), Bawana (375), Siri Fort (343), Wazirpur (359), Anand Vihar (366), Ashok Vihar (348), and Sonia Vihar (352).
Stations recording poor air quality included NSIT Dwarka (260), Mandir Marg (256), IGI Airport (263), and Aya Nagar (289).
What the AQI Numbers Really Mean
As per CPCB standards:
- 0–50: Good
- 51–100: Satisfactory
- 101–200: Moderate
- 201–300: Poor
- 301–400: Very Poor
- 401–500: Severe
Delhi continued to hover dangerously close to the severe threshold for much of the week.
Where the Pollution Is Coming From
Data from Delhi’s Decision Support System (DSS) revealed that vehicular emissions remained the single-largest contributor to local pollution at 15.3 per cent. Industrial emissions within Delhi and surrounding regions contributed 7.6 per cent, followed by residential sources (3.7 per cent), construction dust (2.1 per cent), and waste burning (1.3 per cent).
Neighbouring NCR districts also shaped the capital’s air: Jhajjar accounted for 14.3 per cent of pollutants, Rohtak 5 per cent, Sonipat 3.8 per cent, Bhiwani 2.5 per cent, and Gurugram 1.5 per cent.
A Week of Sharp Swings in the Capital’s Air
Delhi’s air quality remained erratic through the week. The city recorded an AQI of 279 on Sunday, followed by 304 on Monday. Pollution peaked on Tuesday at 372, dangerously close to the severe mark, before dipping slightly to 342 on Wednesday. Thursday saw a reading of 304, while Friday logged 327.
Experts Say Delhi Mostly Stayed ‘Very Poor’
Mohammad Rafiuddin, Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said the capital largely stayed in the very poor zone last week. With stubble-burning incidents dropping, he noted that vehicular, residential, and construction-related emissions emerged as the dominant sources of PM2.5 pollution.
Stage II measures of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remain in force, requiring tighter dust control at construction sites, restrictions on the entry of vehicles below BS-IV standards, and staggered office timings to curb traffic emissions.
Centre Responds to Concerns Over Delhi’s Toxic Air
A statement from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addressed the worsening air quality following a question raised by MP Dr Laxmikant Bajpayee in the Rajya Sabha. He asked whether claims stating that “one in every seven deaths in Delhi is linked to toxic air” were accurate.
Responding to the query, Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said multiple academic and research bodies have studied the health impact of air pollution. He added that during 2025, Delhi had not recorded a single day in the severe plus category.
Government Outlines Steps Taken to Tackle Pollution
The government highlighted that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), established under the 2021 Act, continues to coordinate efforts across Delhi-NCR. The Commission has issued 95 statutory directions and implemented the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) during peak winter pollution.
Key steps taken include:
- Review meetings chaired by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on 8 October, 16 September, 10 October, 11 November, and 3 December.
- An inter-ministerial meeting on 7 October focusing on crop residue burning.
- Critical funding to six NCR cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- Launch of the SAMEER mobile app and a centralised air quality portal.
- Activation of the PRANA portal to monitor 130 targeted cities under NCAP.
According to the ministry, the number of “good” air quality days in Delhi rose to 200 in 2025, compared with 110 in 2016. The count of very poor and severe days has fallen from 71 in 2024 to 50 in 2025.
Toxic Air Returns Despite Improvements
Despite these efforts, the capital woke up to a fresh blanket of toxic smog on Friday, with the average AQI hitting 323 at 8 am in the very poor category. Although marginally better than recent weeks, several neighbourhoods remained trapped under a dense haze—leaving residents to wonder when relief will finally arrive.
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