Delhi’s Air Quality Nears ‘Very Poor’ Levels, Firecrackers May Push AQI to ‘Severe’

Delhi’s struggle with air pollution deepened on Saturday, marking the fifth straight day of “poor” air quality and inching closer to the “very poor” category. With unfavourable weather conditions persisting, experts warned that firecracker bursting during the festive season could push the Air Quality Index (AQI) into the “severe” range in the coming days.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 268 on Saturday — up from 254 on Friday and 245 on Thursday — continuing a steady deterioration trend.

The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) forecast indicated further worsening: “Air quality is likely to remain at the upper end of the poor category on Sunday, very poor on Monday, and may reach the severe category by Tuesday in case of enhanced emissions from firecrackers,” its bulletin stated. “For the following six days, air quality is expected to fluctuate between severe and poor.”

CPCB classifies AQI levels as: 0–50 “good”, 51–100 “satisfactory”, 101–200 “moderate”, 201–300 “poor”, 301–400 “very poor”, and 401–500 “severe”.

NCR Cities Fare Worse

Several cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) reported even higher pollution levels. Ghaziabad, in Uttar Pradesh, recorded the worst AQI in the country for the third consecutive day, registering a “very poor” reading of 324 on Saturday. The city had recorded 306 and 307 over the past two days.

Gurugram and Greater Noida remained in the “poor” category with AQIs of 258 and 248, respectively, while Faridabad’s air quality declined sharply — from 105 on Friday to 190 on Saturday — though it still remained in the “moderate” range.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has already enforced Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and NCR since October 14, activating a 27-point strategy to curb emissions. Stricter measures could follow if conditions worsen.

Smog and Temperature Outlook

Delhi’s weather turned slightly warmer on Saturday, with a maximum temperature of 33.5°C — 0.9°C above normal — compared to 32.6°C a day earlier. The minimum temperature rose to 19.6°C, still 1.2°C below normal.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted thick smog and shallow fog from Sunday morning, warning of reduced visibility in several parts of the city.

“A smog or shallow fog is likely to form during the morning hours from Sunday to Tuesday, followed by clear skies later in the day with mist or haze,” an IMD official said, adding that misty conditions were expected to persist throughout the week.

The IMD also forecast a slight dip in temperatures over the coming days, with daytime highs likely to hover between 31°C and 33°C from Tuesday and minimum temperatures expected to drop to 17–19°C by Thursday.