After enduring a month of persistent air pollution, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has improved to the ‘moderate’ category. As of 7 am on Friday, the overall AQI in the national capital was recorded at 183, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Key locations across Delhi showed varying AQI readings:
- Chandni Chowk: 183
- ITO: 183
- Okhla Phase 2: 168
- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: 159
- Patparganj: 195
- Aya Nagar: 115
- Lodhi Road: 124
- IGI Airport (T3): 137
- Punjabi Bagh: 212
However, certain areas such as Anand Vihar (246), Wazirpur (208), RK Puram (204), Rohini (217), and Mundka (244) continued to record AQI levels in the ‘poor’ category.
AQI Categories:
- 0-50: Good
- 51-100: Satisfactory
- 101-200: Moderate
- 201-300: Poor
- 301-400: Very Poor
- 401-500: Severe
In RK Puram, truck-mounted water sprinklers were deployed to mitigate air pollution effects by spraying fine water droplets.
Post-Diwali, Delhi’s AQI had been fluctuating between ‘severe’, ‘very poor’, and ‘poor’, causing residents to report breathing difficulties and other health concerns.
Meanwhile, Agra recorded ‘satisfactory’ air quality this morning. Golden hues complemented the iconic Taj Mahal, offering a visual contrast to Delhi’s struggle with pollution.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to relax restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), lowering them from Stage IV to Stage II due to the improvement in air quality.
Following this, the Directorate of Education of the Delhi Government announced the resumption of normal physical classes in schools across Delhi-NCR.
The official order stated, “All the Government, Govt.-Aided, Unaided Recognized Private Schools of DoE, NDMC, MCD and Delhi Cantonment Board are informed that the circulars or related orders issued are revoked. Thus, all classes in all schools are to be held in physical mode with immediate effect.”