📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team
Weather
Delhi's Air Quality Deteriorates Again, AQI Hits 'Very Poor' Levels
✍️ India Today
🗓 12 Nov 2026, 09:50 AM
👁 15
After a short respite, Delhi’s air quality has slipped back to a ‘very poor’ AQI, officials said.
The capital’s air quality index (AQI) has risen to the "very poor" category, reversing a brief period of cleaner air recorded earlier this week. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations surged beyond safe limits, pushing the overall AQI above 300.
Meteorologists attribute the rapid decline to a combination of stagnant wind patterns and a sudden increase in vehicular and construction emissions. Earlier, a temporary dip in pollution levels had raised hopes for a short‑term relief, but the favorable conditions lasted only a few days.
Health officials have issued renewed advisories, urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activities and wear masks when venturing outside. The city’s monitoring network will continue to update real‑time data as authorities explore additional mitigation measures.
The episode underscores the persistent challenge of managing air quality in Delhi, where seasonal factors and urban growth frequently drive the AQI into hazardous zones.
Meteorologists attribute the rapid decline to a combination of stagnant wind patterns and a sudden increase in vehicular and construction emissions. Earlier, a temporary dip in pollution levels had raised hopes for a short‑term relief, but the favorable conditions lasted only a few days.
Health officials have issued renewed advisories, urging residents, especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activities and wear masks when venturing outside. The city’s monitoring network will continue to update real‑time data as authorities explore additional mitigation measures.
The episode underscores the persistent challenge of managing air quality in Delhi, where seasonal factors and urban growth frequently drive the AQI into hazardous zones.