Delhi’s Air Quality Turns Severe as AQI Hits 483 on Diwali Morning

New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality fell into the severe category on Sunday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 483 at 8.10 am and several parts of the capital recording readings above 400, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as reported by ANI.

The reading marks a sharp deterioration from Saturday morning, when the city recorded 364 at 8 am, in the very poor category. At least eight monitoring stations showed severe air quality on Sunday. Punjabi Bagh recorded 449, followed by RK Puram at 448, Bawana at 446, and IIT Delhi and Rohini at 445 each. Patparganj registered 421, Chandni Chowk 420 and Alipur 413. Other areas stayed in the very poor range, with Narela at 395, India Gate at 398, Anand Vihar at 328 and the Akshardham area at 336. A thick haze covered much of the city, reducing visibility.

The worsening came two days after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on Friday, ahead of Diwali, amid forecasts of further rises. Stage III bars BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers from Delhi and designated NCR districts, tightens curbs on older goods vehicles and non-Delhi diesel commercial vehicles, and suspends non-essential, dust-generating construction such as excavation, demolition and road work. Stone crushers and mining face shutdowns or limits, and primary schools move to hybrid learning.

GRAP is a four-stage framework run by CAQM with the CPCB and state governments, activated on pollution levels and forecasts from the IMD and IITM. Stage IV is meant for AQI above 450 and adds restrictions on heavy goods vehicles and other emergency traffic and industrial measures.

Concerns remain high that pollution may worsen further during the Diwali period.