November 13, 2025 | New Delhi

Delhi continued to grapple with severely polluted air on Thursday, marking the third straight day that the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘severe’ category, with smog shrouding the skyline and causing low visibility in the morning hours.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city recorded an average AQI of 405 at 10 am, showing only a marginal improvement from 418 measured at 4 pm on Wednesday. Of the 39 active air quality monitoring stations in Delhi, 25 reported ‘severe’ levels of pollution, with the worst-affected areas being Bawana (460), Wazirpur (454), and Rohini (447).

“The combination of slow winds and falling temperatures has led to a weather phenomenon called inversion, which traps pollutants close to the ground, creating dense haze across the city,” meteorologists said.

Recent Trends

On Tuesday, Delhi’s AQI had spiked to 428, the highest reading since December 19 last year, when the index reached 451. Experts attribute the hazardous air primarily to vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and seasonal stubble burning in neighboring states, compounded by meteorological conditions that prevent the dispersion of pollutants.

Weather Conditions and Forecast

Winds have remained calm, with maximum speeds barely reaching 10 km/h, further aggravating the accumulation of pollutants near the surface. Meteorologist Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, noted that the wind direction had shifted from northwesterly to westerly and southwesterly, which may gradually disperse some of the smog.

“Early morning winds have mostly been calm, but forecasts indicate marginal improvement in air quality from Thursday onwards,” Palawat said.

Stage-3 GRAP Measures in Force

In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has enforced stage-3 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) since Tuesday.

The measures include:

• Ban on all private and non-essential construction activities.
• Restrictions on BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers across Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.
• Suspension of full-time in-person classes for primary students up to class five, who are now attending schools in ‘hybrid’ mode until further notice.

Authorities have clarified that stage-3 restrictions could be rolled back if the AQI drops below 400, the threshold for the ‘severe’ pollution category.

Public Health Advisory

Officials continue to advise citizens, especially children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor exposure, wear masks when stepping out, and use air purifiers at home. The government has urged residents to avoid burning garbage or leaves and reduce non-essential travel to curb the worsening air pollution.

As Delhi struggles with persistent smog and toxic air, authorities are closely monitoring AQI levels and have warned that conditions may remain hazardous unless weather patterns improve and emissions are reduced.