Delhi Records 'Poor' Air Quality and Above-Normal Minimum Temperatures

Delhi's average Air Quality Index was recorded at 225 on Friday morning, placing the city's air in the 'poor' category as a layer of smog settled over areas including Kartavya Path. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature at Safdarjung stood at 19 degrees Celsius, which is 1.8 degrees above normal.

New Delhi woke up to 'poor' air quality on Friday, October 23, 2026, accompanied by a layer of smog hanging over the city. According to official data, the city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 225 at 9 am.

Temperature readings across the capital showed above-normal figures. The minimum temperature was recorded at 19 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, the city's base station, which is 1.8 degrees above normal. Station-wise data indicated that Palam recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 18.3 degrees Celsius, marking 0.5 degrees above normal, while Lodhi Road registered 18.6 degrees Celsius, 2.6 degrees above normal. Ayanagar and the Ridge logged minimum temperatures of 19.1 degrees Celsius and 19.2 degrees Celsius, respectively. The India Meteorological Department stated that the maximum temperature is expected to reach around 32 degrees Celsius under mainly clear skies during the day.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board's SAMEER app showed that 38 monitoring stations recorded air quality in the 'poor' category, while 18 stations logged 'moderate' AQI levels. Pusa registered the highest AQI among the listed stations at 290, followed by RK Puram at 284 and Rohini at 279, with these readings approaching the 'very poor' threshold. Narela recorded an AQI of 272, and Mathura Road and Dwarka both logged 268.

Other monitoring locations included the North Campus of Delhi University with an AQI of 240, the IGI Airport Terminal 3 station at 228, and Anand Vihar at 216.

The Central Pollution ControlBoard classifies AQI readings such that an index between zero and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 is 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 is 'moderate', 201 to 300 is 'poor', 301 to 400 is 'very poor', and 401 to 500 is 'severe'.

"Environmental conditions and air quality metrics play an increasingly critical role in urban business operations, employee productivity, and logistics planning. When cities experience prolonged spells of poor air quality and temperature shifts, local enterprises must factor these operational realities into their workforce management and business continuity strategies. Monitoring official data points closely helps businesses adapt to urban infrastructure and environmental challenges effectively." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes