New Delhi: A thick layer of smog covered Delhi and adjoining areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday morning, with the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 451 at 8 am, placing it in the severe pollution category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), several monitoring stations across the capital recorded severe air quality levels, while most other locations reported very poor conditions.
Several Delhi areas record severe AQI
Rohini recorded an AQI of 429, followed by Punjabi Bagh at 424 and Bawana at 408, all falling in the severe category. Several other locations reported very poor air quality. Patparganj recorded an AQI of 379, followed by R K Puram at 374 and ITO at 373. Okhla Phase-2 and Chandni Chowk both registered 352, while Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded 355 and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) reported 328.
Relatively lower AQI readings were recorded at some locations, although air quality remained poor. Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport’s Terminal 3 recorded an AQI of 287, followed by Anand Vihar at 279, Uttam Nagar at 274 and IMD Lodhi Road at 226.
GRAP Stage-II restrictions enforced across NCR
Amid deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday invoked Stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region with immediate effect.
The Delhi Police also conducted vehicle checks at the Ghazipur border as restrictions under GRAP Stage-II came into force, according to ANI.
With Stage-I measures already in place, authorities in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been directed to intensify pollution-control measures. These include daily mechanical and vacuum sweeping of roads and water sprinkling with dust suppressants along busy roads and congestion points, particularly before peak traffic hours.
The CAQM classifies air quality into six categories: Good (0–50), Satisfactory (51–100), Moderate (101–200), Poor (201–300), Very Poor (301–400) and Severe (401–500).
GRAP restrictions are implemented in four stages based on AQI levels. Stage-I applies when the AQI is between 201 and 300, Stage-II between 301 and 400, Stage-III between 401 and 450, and Stage-IV when the AQI exceeds 450.
