Delhi Air Pollution: Rohini, Punjabi Bagh and RK Puram among 10 worst affected areas as AQI nears 400 | Check the full list | Today’s news
Air quality in Delhi remained dangerously close to the severe category on Friday, with several parts of the national capital recording alarming levels of pollution.
Rohini records the highest AQI in 2026
According to an analysis of Central Pollution Control Board data by the Hindustan Times Pollution Dashboard, 31 monitoring stations recorded critical air quality while another 28 fell into the very poor category.
Delhi’s total AQI stood at 391 at 12 noon on Friday, just nine points below the 401 mark at which air quality is classified as severe. The control panel calculates the city average using data from monitoring stations that report the data to the CPCB.
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Rohini records the highest AQI
The 10 most polluted monitoring sites in Delhi, according to the latest dashboard update, were:
The figures highlight how pollution has spread to several parts of the capital, with residential areas, busy road networks and locations around major institutions reporting particularly poor air quality.
The deterioration comes ahead of Diwali, when increased traffic and festive activities could add to the existing pollution burden. Weather conditions also played a role in trapping pollutants close to the ground, making it more difficult to clean the air.
The Supreme Court labeled vehicle emissions
The worsening situation also came under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny on Friday, with the top court naming vehicular emissions as a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohan expressed concern over heavy traffic on roads across the national capital and neighboring areas.
“We keep talking, sometimes we make statements and suggestions, but the point is that the AQI is already touching 400,” the chief justice remarked during a hearing in a suo motu case on measures to tackle air pollution.
The bench specifically highlighted the large number of vehicles traveling between Delhi and neighboring areas, including Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad. He called for immediate, medium and long-term measures to bring pollution levels under control.
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The court also emphasized the need to educate farmers about alternatives to stubble burning, including the use of machinery to deal with crop residues. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the bench that farm fires accounted for 14% of Delhi’s pollution on Thursday.
The center also outlined existing measures on industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, construction dust, road dust and stubble burning. These include restrictions on certain vehicles, geo-tagging of pollution under inspection certificates and measures against visibly polluting vehicles.
The Supreme Court said it will pass further orders, with the matter coming up for hearing again on November 16, after the Diwali holidays.
