Delhi continued to grapple with ‘very poor’ air quality on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 341 around 7 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
While this marked a slight improvement from Tuesday morning, when the AQI stood at 397, pollution levels across the national capital remained firmly in the ‘very poor’ category. The prolonged spell of unhealthy air continues to pose serious health risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and people suffering from respiratory conditions.
Several monitoring stations across Delhi reported high pollution levels. Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar both recorded AQI readings of 388, while Wazirpur registered 386. Other pollution hotspots included Punjabi Bagh (374), RK Puram (377), Bawana (383), ITO (369), Chandni Chowk (369) and Dwarka Sector 8 (376). All these areas remained within the ‘very poor’ air quality range, highlighting the widespread nature of the pollution.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported moderate fog at several locations across Delhi, with dense fog observed at isolated places. The temperature in the capital was around 9 degrees Celsius at 7 am, further adding to the challenging weather conditions.
On Tuesday, amid the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had invoked Stage IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
However, the CAQM later said it had revoked its earlier orders dated January 17, 2026, which had enforced Stage IV actions under GRAP for the NCR. Stage IV measures are triggered when the AQI crosses 450, categorised as ‘severe’.
The commission has directed all implementing agencies across the NCR to maintain strict vigilance and intensify actions under the applicable GRAP stages to ensure that air quality does not deteriorate further into the ‘severe’ category.
CAQM also emphasised that continuous monitoring and review of air quality will continue across the region, with agencies instructed to ensure the timely and effective implementation of preventive measures under Stage I, II and III of GRAP.
