Delhi AQI crosses 400 after Diwali as thick smog blankets capital; Burari records 441

Delhi woke up to hazardous air and thick smog on Monday, a day after Diwali celebrations, with several monitoring stations recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 400, placing them in the ‘Severe’ category. The pollution also reduced visibility across several parts of the national capital.

A thick blanket of smog was visible around Inderlok, while areas across the city reported hazy conditions during the early morning hours.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Burari Crossing recorded the highest AQI at 441. Vivek Vihar followed at 437, while Delhi Technological University (DTU) registered 434. North Campus of Delhi University and Jahangirpuri both recorded 433, while Rohini stood at 430.

Several other areas also reported ‘Severe’ air quality, including Ghazipur (418), Mundka (417), Punjabi Bagh (409), NIH Narela (407) and ITO (407). Akshardham recorded an AQI of 337, placing it in the ‘Very Poor’ category.

Among other monitoring stations, CRRI Mathura Road recorded an AQI of 396, Aya Nagar 386, Talkatora Garden 384, NSUT Jaffarpur 378, Lodhi Road 370, Mandir Marg 369, Wazirpur 365, R K Puram 364, Badarpur 363, IHBAS Dilshad Garden 363 and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range 361.

Najafgarh recorded an AQI of 340, Anand Vihar 335, IMD Lodhi Road 323, Ashok Vihar 319 and Sri Aurobindo Marg 267. Data for IIT Delhi and Dwarka Sector 8 was unavailable.

The deterioration comes after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on Friday, three days before Diwali, amid forecasts of worsening pollution.

Mumbai, Lucknow also wake up to smog

Mumbai also witnessed hazy conditions on Monday, with smog covering parts of Kalanagar and Bandra amid deteriorating air quality.

Kherwadi-Bandra East recorded an AQI of 264, followed by Sewri at 226, Ghatkopar at 221 and Chembur at 216. Byculla registered 193, Mindspace-Malad West 191, Kandivali West 187 and Worli 148. Kurla recorded a comparatively lower AQI of 96.

In Uttar Pradesh, a thick layer of smog covered Lucknow, with several parts of the city waking up to hazy conditions.

What are the AQI categories and GRAP restrictions?

According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘Good’, 51-100 ‘Satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘Moderate’, 201-300 ‘Poor’, 301-400 ‘Very Poor’ and 401-500 ‘Severe’.

GRAP is a four-stage emergency framework managed by the CAQM in coordination with the CPCB and state governments. It is designed to introduce progressively stricter measures as air quality worsens.

Stage III measures are triggered when the AQI enters the 401-450 range. They include stricter vehicle restrictions, a halt to construction activities and hybrid learning arrangements for primary school students.

The measures apply across Delhi and adjoining districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The plan is activated based on pollution and weather forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), allowing authorities to act before pollution levels reach the severe category across the city.

The four stages of GRAP are:

• Stage I (Poor, AQI 201-300): Measures focus on controlling road dust, enforcing pollution norms and preventing open waste burning.
• Stage II (Very Poor, AQI 301-400): Additional steps include stronger dust-control measures, higher parking fees and staggered office timings.
• Stage III (Severe, AQI 401-450): Restrictions include curbs on certain vehicles, a halt to construction activities and hybrid classes for primary school students.
• Stage IV (Severe Plus, AQI above 450): Emergency measures target traffic and industrial pollution, including restrictions on heavy goods vehicles.

(With ANI inputs)