Delhi's Air Quality Edges Closer to 'Severe' Category Ahead of Diwali

Delhi's overall Air Quality Index settled at 391 on Friday, edging closer to the 'severe' category. Thirty out of 59 monitoring stations recorded severe air quality, with conditions expected to persist until Diwali due to peak stubble-burning and weather factors.

A thick layer of smog hung over New Delhi on Friday as the city's air quality deteriorated sharply, inching closer to the 'severe' category. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) settled at 391, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Of the 59 monitoring stations spread across the national capital, 30 recorded severe air quality levels at 9 am, while the remaining stations registered figures in the very poor category. Rohini recorded the worst AQI in the city at 475, closely followed by IIT Delhi at 472.

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi was expected to record its first severe air quality day of the season on Friday. Weather models indicate that these conditions are likely to persist until November 8, the day of Diwali.

The current deterioration coincides with the ongoing peak stubble-burning period in the National Capital Region. Authorities note that upcoming firecracker emissions associated with Diwali festivities could further add to the overall pollution load in the coming days. The AQI showed a steady rise on Friday morning, moving from 389 at 8 am to 391 at 9 am.

For context, the CPCB classifies an AQI between zero and 50 as 'good', 51 to 100 as 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 as 'moderate', 201 to 300 as 'poor', 301 to 400 as 'very poor', and 401 to 500 as 'severe'. Weather experts have indicated that several pollution hotspots across the city could record AQI levels above 450.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung weather station settled at 17.2 degrees Celsius, which is 1.9 notches above normal for this time of the year. The maximum temperature is forecast to reach around 30 degrees Celsius, accompanied by shallow fog during morning hours that is expected to persist until November 9.

"Environmental challenges of this scale directly impact urban productivity, logistics, and corporate workforce health during critical business quarters. For enterprises operating in the National Capital Region, sustained severe pollution episodes necessitate robust business continuity planning, including hybrid work models and investments in workplace indoor air quality management to safeguard employee well-being." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes