Delhi Air Quality Edges Close To ‘Severe’ As AQI Jumps To 387; 18 Areas Cross 400 Mark | Check List | India News

Air quality in the national capital continued its steady decline on Saturday, edging closer to the ‘severe’ category. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was recorded at 387, firmly in the ‘very poor’ zone and carrying significant health hazards.

The deterioration in air quality has been steadily climbing since the week started with the ‘poor’ category AQI of 282 on Tuesday and 259 on Wednesday, rising to 307 on Thursday and 349 on Friday.

18 Localities Hit ‘Severe’ Zone

A significant portion of the National Capital Territory is grappling with hazardous air quality, with 18 localities recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 400, officially placing them in the ‘severe’ category.

The worst-hit areas include Wazirpur (443), Jahangirpuri (439), and Vivek Vihar (437). Other localities experiencing severe pollution levels are Rohini (434), Anand Vihar (434), Ashok Vihar (431), Sonia Vihar (427), DTU (427), Narela (425), Bawana (424), Nehru Nagar (421), Patparganj (419), ITO (417), Punjabi Bagh (416), Mundka (415), Burari Crossing (413), Chandni Chowk (412), and DU North Campus (401).

This widespread high pollution indicates a critical environmental and public health concern across the national capital.

A thick layer of smog combined with shallow fog blanketed parts of the city during the early morning hours, severely reducing visibility and raising health concerns, especially in vulnerable populations.

NCR Cities Reflect Similar Worsening Trends

The deteriorating air quality was reflected in a similar way over the National Capital Region (NCR):Severe Category: Ghaziabad and Noida also recorded an alarming AQI of 422, placing them in the ‘severe’ range.

Poor Category: Gurugram had an AQI of 295, and Faridabad recorded 208, both remaining in the ‘poor’ category.

Experts blame the sharp jump in pollution levels on unfavorable meteorological conditions – low wind speeds and high moisture content – that prevent pollutants from dispersing and instead trap them close to the ground surface. Authorities have issued advisories urging residents to limit outdoor activities until the hazardous air quality improves.