Last Updated:
Delhi is expected to face further deterioration in air quality on Sunday, with the AQI forecast to enter the ‘severe’ category.
Delhi Air Quality: The situation remained particularly concerning at several monitoring stations across the national capital.
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Saturday, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 369, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category on the eve of Diwali. A thick layer of smog covered several parts of the national capital, reducing visibility as pollution levels continued to rise ahead of the festival.
The situation is expected to worsen on Sunday, with air quality likely to slip into the ‘severe’ category. Diwali celebrations, vehicular emissions and the ongoing peak stubble-burning season are expected to add to the pollution burden.
Several monitoring stations record severe AQI
Data from 59 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi showed that pollution levels had reached the ‘severe’ category at 16 locations on Saturday. Another 29 stations recorded air quality in the ‘very poor’ category.
The worst reading was reported near IIT Delhi, where the AQI touched 452, indicating severe pollution levels.
The city’s overall AQI stood at 369, highlighting the deteriorating air quality even before Diwali celebrations began. The smog also affected visibility in several areas.
GRAP Stage III restrictions announced
At A Glance
Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index reached 369 on Saturday, placing it in the very poor category.
Pollution levels reached the severe category at 16 monitoring stations out of 59 across Delhi.
The worst AQI reading was reported near IIT Delhi at 452.
The Commission for Air Quality Management announced the implementation of Stage III of GRAP on November 6, 2026.
Amid the worsening air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced the implementation of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The decision came as Delhi’s air quality moved closer to the ‘severe’ category, prompting the authorities to step up emergency pollution-control measures.
GRAP is a set of short-term emergency measures designed to reduce air pollution. It is divided into four stages, which are activated depending on the prevailing pollution levels or forecasts for the coming days.
Air quality may turn severe on Diwali
Delhi is expected to face further deterioration in air quality on Sunday, with the AQI forecast to enter the ‘severe’ category.
The combination of Diwali celebrations, vehicular emissions and the peak stubble-burning season is expected to increase the pollution load across the city.
With the AQI already at 369 on Saturday and several monitoring stations reporting readings above 400, the national capital is facing worsening air quality even before the festival of lights.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index stood at 369 on Saturday, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category on the eve of Diwali. Meanwhile, data from 59 air quality monitoring stations showed that pollution levels reached the ‘severe’ category at 16 locations.
Ask News18About the Author
Shuddhanta Patra is an Indian journalist with about nine years of experience in covering national politics, geopolitics, defence, diplomacy and international affairs. Her reporting focuses on South As…Read More
Delhi, India, India
November 07, 2026, 7:00 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
