Delhi AQI Crosses 400 At 22 Stations Ahead Of Diwali, GRAP-3 Curbs Imposed

Delhi’s air quality stayed in the "very poor" category on Friday ahead of Diwali, with the overall air quality index, or AQI, at 365. Of the city’s 59 monitoring stations, 22 recorded severe air quality at 7.30 am, while the remaining stations were in the very poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. IIT Delhi logged an AQI of 440, Punjabi Bagh 433 and Vivek Vihar 425, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

The reading worsened through the morning. The AQI rose from 389 at 8 am to 391 at 9 am, the report said, showing a further deterioration in air quality across the capital.

The policy response also hardened. The Commission for Air Quality Management imposed Stage 3 curbs across Delhi-NCR under the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP, on Friday as pollution levels stayed elevated and forecasts pointed to severe air in the coming days.

Worst-Hit Monitoring Stations

The worst readings came from a cluster of stations spread across the city. IIT Delhi topped the list at 440, with PM10 as the prominent pollutant. Punjabi Bagh followed at 433 and Vivek Vihar at 425, with PM2.5 the prominent pollutant at both stations.

Several other stations also crossed 410. Mundka and Jahangirpuri each recorded 421, Rohini 418 and R K Puram 414. Najafgarh and Sonia Vihar each stood at 412, while Sirifort recorded 411.

PM2.5 dominated most of the worst-hit locations. Punjabi Bagh, Vivek Vihar, Mundka, Jahangirpuri, Rohini, R K Puram, Najafgarh, Sonia Vihar and Sirifort all showed PM2.5 as the prominent pollutant, according to the CPCB table. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between zero and 50 is classified as 'good', 51 and 100 as 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 as 'moderate', 201 and 300 as 'poor', 301 and 400 as 'very poor', and 401 and 500 as 'severe'.

GRAP-3 Curbs Tighten

Curbs have now tightened. CAQM stated that Delhi’s AQI stood at 382 in the "very poor" category at 4 pm on Thursday, a day before it ordered Stage 3 measures under GRAP in Delhi-NCR.

The forecast remains adverse. In its daily bulletin, IITM-Pune stated, "Air quality is likely to be in the 'very poor' category on November 6. The air quality is likely to be in the 'severe' category from November 7 to 9. The outlook for the subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to be in the 'severe' to 'very poor' category."

GRAP is a set of emergency steps that kick in once pollution crosses set thresholds to stop further deterioration. Under GRAP-3, strict restrictions apply to dust-generating and pollution-causing construction and demolition activities across the NCR. NCR state governments and the Delhi government must also decide whether public, municipal and private offices should run at 50 per cent strength, with the rest working from home.

Fog Forecast Ahead

Weather conditions may offer little relief. The India Meteorological Department expects shallow fog in Delhi on November 7, with the maximum temperature at 29°C, the minimum at 16°C and humidity between 65 per cent and 85 per cent. No weather warning has been issued for the day.

The fog is expected to persist through next week. November 8 is forecast to see shallow fog with temperatures between 15°C and 28°C. November 9 is likely to see moderate fog, with temperatures again between 15°C and 28°C.

Moderate fog is also expected from November 10 to 12. The forecast puts temperatures at 14°C to 27°C on November 10, and 15°C to 27°C on both November 11 and November 12. No weather warnings have been issued for November 8 to 12.