Delhi's Average AQI Drops Below 300, But Majority of Stations Report Higher Pollution Levels

Delhi's average air quality index dropped below 300 on Tuesday, though data from the Central Pollution Control Board shows that 31 out of 59 monitoring stations recorded higher pollution levels. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department forecasts that air quality will remain in the 'Very Poor' category between November 11 and 13.

Delhi's average air quality index (AQI) dropped to below 300 on Tuesday, moving down from 344 recorded a day earlier, according to the daily bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). However, pollution levels varied significantly across the capital.

By 6 pm on Tuesday, the AQI reached 302, with 31 out of 59 monitoring stations reporting pollution levels higher than the day's average. The monitoring station at IIT Delhi recorded the maximum AQI of 389 at 6 pm. This was closely followed by Pusa Institute at 381 and Chandni Chowk at 380, placing these three locations among the top four most polluted places in the country.

In contrast, the least-polluted areas in Delhi were Karala with an AQI of 212, Sri Aurobindo Marg at 167, and the Cantonment Area at 134.

Across the National Capital Region (NCR), CPCB data showed varied readings. Wave City in Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 291, Noida Sector 62 reached 353, and Gurugram's TERI Gram stood at 395, making it India's most-polluted place at 6 pm. Other NCR areas included the New Industrial Town of Faridabad at 335, Bahadurgarh at 298, and Sonipat at 220.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has classified air quality under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across four stages: Stage 1 for 'poor' (AQI 201-300), Stage 2 for 'very poor' (AQI 301-400), Stage 3 for 'severe' (AQI 401-450), and Stage 4 for 'severe plus' (AQI above 450). Restrictions are prescribed according to each stage, and GRAP Stage III is currently in force as a precautionary measure.

Looking ahead, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that air quality in Delhi is likely to remain in the 'Very Poor' category during November 11-13. The IMD forecast notes that surface wind speeds will decrease up to 10 kmph from the west direction during the afternoon, and drop further to up to 8 kmph during the evening and night hours on Wednesday.

"Environmental conditions and regulatory frameworks like GRAP directly impact regional business operations, workforce productivity, and logistics. When pollution levels trigger stringent measures across industrial hubs in the National Capital Region, businesses must factor these predictable seasonal disruptions into their operational planning and continuity strategies." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes