Delhi recorded “severe” air quality at several places on Wednesday morning. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, out of 40 monitoring stations across Delhi, as many as 14 stations recorded an AQI above 401 at 7:05 am, falling under the “severe” category. The average air quality index (AQI) for the state capital was 376 on December 3.
This comes after Delhi registered an AQI of 279 in the “bad” range on November 30, 304 on December 1 and 372 on December 2. As smog blanketed the capital, Delhi recorded an AQI reading in the “very poor” category. Areas with the highest levels of air pollution and AQIs in the “severe” range are listed below:
Dr Karni Singh Rifle Range – 406
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium – 405
A reading of CPCB’s Sameer application shows that NSIT Dwarka is the only place in the state capital with an AQI in the ‘poor’ range. The remaining 25 stations all recorded “very poor” AQIs today. Nehru Nagar and Chandni Chowk recorded the worst air quality today.
The Center for Science and Environment (CSE) recently released a report analyzing annual air quality trends in the nation’s capital at the start of the winter months – October to November.
The report provides a clear view of increasing air toxicity and states, “More worrying is the daily synchronized increase in PM2.5 and other toxic gases nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) mainly from vehicles and combustion sources, creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed. The long-term trend of Delhi’s air quality has also stabilized without showing the need for in-depth measures, signaling an urgent change in infrastructure, emissions from vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction and household energy.”
Chronic exposure to toxic air not only triggers breathing problems in people with asthma, lung or heart disease, but also poses a risk of respiratory disease in healthy individuals.
Pointing to deteriorating air quality in smaller cities in the National Capital Region (NCR), the report released on December 1 said: “Smaller cities in the region are showing more intense and longer-lasting smog accumulation. Although pollution peaks are lower this winter due to fewer farm fires, the airspace is increasingly saturated.”
IMD issues cold wave warning
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the current atmospheric conditions indicate that a cyclonic circulation exists over south Himachal Pradesh and adjoining areas and up to 1.5 km above mean sea level.
The IMD issued a yellow alert for a cold wave in the state capital on December 5. “A fresh weak western disturbance is likely to affect the western Himalayan region from December 5, 2025,” the weather agency said in its latest press release.
Forecasting “mainly clear” and “shallow fog” during the morning hours, the IMD said, “Maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be in the range of 23 to 25 °C and 07 to 09 °C respectively. Minimum temperatures will be below normal (-0.5 to -2.5 °C) and maximum temperatures will be 3 to -2 to -3 °C over Delhi.”
