New Delhi: The National Capital’s air quality plunged into the hazardous category on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 459 at 8:31 a.m., as a thick layer of smoky haze continued to blanket the national capital and surrounding areas.
According to real-time data from AQI.in, the PM2.5 concentration stood at 327 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), while PM10 levels were recorded at 394 µg/m³. The prevailing conditions were marked by smoky haze, with the temperature at 21 degrees Celsius, humidity at 58% and wind speed at just 4 kmph.
The latest readings indicate that Delhi’s pollution crisis remains severe, with several neighbourhoods recording AQI levels above 500, pushing them into the hazardous category.
Among the worst-affected locations, Hari Nagar recorded an AQI of 548, while Dhirpur Village, Holambi Khurd, Shivaji Nagar, Sunder Vihar and West Sant Nagar Burari reported readings of 545. Indra Vihar recorded 544, while Rameshwar Nagar stood at 542. Wazirabad reported an AQI of 563, while Model Town Station 1 recorded 573.
The situation was similarly alarming across several other parts of the capital. Gujranwala Town recorded an AQI of 540, Sangam Vihar Station 1 and Station 3 reported 540, while Old Gupta Colony stood at 538. Adarsh Nagar recorded 533, and Cc Colony reported 529.
Even relatively prominent locations, including Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh, Janakpuri and Preet Vihar, continued to experience hazardous air quality, with readings largely ranging between 470 and 520.
The pollution burden is not limited to Delhi. Several cities across north India are reporting alarming air quality levels. According to AQI.in’s live city rankings, Hisar in Haryana topped the list of India’s most polluted cities with an AQI of 727, followed by Rohtak at 681 and Bhiwani at 667. Sirsa recorded 599, while Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan stood at 596.
Gurugram, too, continued to grapple with hazardous air pollution, with the AQI reaching 419 at 8:31 a.m., according to AQI.in. The readings indicate that the pollution crisis extends beyond the national capital, with neighbouring cities across Delhi NCR also breathing dangerously polluted air.
Bathinda in Punjab reported an AQI of 564, followed by Sonipat in Haryana at 560 and Faridkot in Punjab at 520. Bulandshahr and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh recorded AQI levels of 496 and 492, respectively.
A comparison of air quality across India’s major metropolitan cities also highlights the severity of the situation in the national capital. New Delhi recorded the highest AQI at 459, followed by Chennai at 298, Pune at 237 and Bengaluru at 204. Kolkata stood at 185, Hyderabad at 178, Mumbai at 144, while Ahmedabad reported a comparatively lower reading of 89.
The health implications of prolonged exposure to such pollution levels remain a major concern. AQI.in, citing Berkeley Earth, estimated that breathing Delhi’s air is equivalent to smoking 10.9 cigarettes a day. The estimate is based on average PM2.5 exposure over the preceding 24 hours and assumes continuous exposure.
With PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations remaining significantly elevated, residents, particularly children, older people and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, face increased health risks from prolonged exposure.
The latest readings underline the growing air pollution emergency across Delhi NCR and neighbouring north Indian cities, with hazardous conditions affecting large parts of the region.
