📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Kamran Syed
Weather
Delhi's PM10 spikes to 428 at 9 pm, air quality deteriorates sharply
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 21 Oct 2026, 07:15 AM
👁 17
Data from the CPCB's Alipur monitoring centre show PM10 levels hitting 428 around 9 pm on Oct 16‑20, marking a sharp decline in Delhi's night‑time air quality.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Alipur monitoring station recorded a pronounced rise in particulate matter (PM10) levels at approximately 9 pm each night between 16 and 20 October. On those evenings, the concentration peaked at 428 micrograms per cubic metre, a level far above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Such a spike indicates a sudden deterioration in the city’s nocturnal air quality, as PM10 particles are large enough to be inhaled and can aggravate respiratory conditions, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with pre‑existing lung diseases.
The five‑day data set suggests a recurring pattern of night‑time pollution build‑up, prompting health officials to consider issuing advisories for reduced outdoor activity and the use of masks during the affected hours.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact causes behind the abrupt rise, but they continue to monitor the situation closely and will update the public if further action becomes necessary.
Such a spike indicates a sudden deterioration in the city’s nocturnal air quality, as PM10 particles are large enough to be inhaled and can aggravate respiratory conditions, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with pre‑existing lung diseases.
The five‑day data set suggests a recurring pattern of night‑time pollution build‑up, prompting health officials to consider issuing advisories for reduced outdoor activity and the use of masks during the affected hours.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact causes behind the abrupt rise, but they continue to monitor the situation closely and will update the public if further action becomes necessary.