Delhi AQI today: Battle with pollution gets 'severe' as 14 locations record toxic air quality

Delhi recorded ‘severe’ air quality at several locations on Wednesday morning. As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from 40 monitoring stations across Delhi, as many as 14 stations recorded AQI above 401 at 7:05 am, falling in the ‘severe’ category. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) for the national capital stood at 376 on 3 December.

This comes after Delhi registered an AQI of 279 in the ‘poor’ range on 30 November, 304 on 1 December and 372 on 2 December. As a blanket of smog covers the capital, Delhi recorded an AQI reading in ‘very poor’ category. The areas with the highest air pollution levels and AQI in the ‘severe’ range are listed below:

Anand Vihar - 405

Ashok Vikar - 403

Bawana - 408

Chandni Chowk - 431

Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range - 406

Jahangirpuri - 406

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - 405

Nehru Nagar - 436

Okhla - 404

RK Puram - 420

Rohini - 417

Sirifort - 408

Vivek Vihar - 415

Wazirpur - 406

CPCB's Sameer app reading shows NSIT Dwarka as the only location across the national capital with AQI in ‘poor’ range. All the remaining 25 stations recorded ‘very poor’ AQI today. Nehru Nagar and Chandni Chowk recorded the worst air quality today.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recently released a report analysing annual air quality trends in the national capital early winter months — October to November.

Giving a clear view of the growing toxicity of the air, the report said, “More worrying is the daily synchronised rise of PM2.5 and other toxic gases of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) largely from vehicles and combustion sources, creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed. The long-term air quality trend in Delhi has also plateaued without showing improvement. This signals an urgent need for deep-rooted shifts in infrastructure and systems to upscale action to cut emissions from vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction and household energy.”

Chronic exposure to toxic air not only triggers breathing difficulties among people with asthma, lung conditions or heart diseases but also poses a risk of respiratory diseases even in healthy individuals.

Pointing to worsening air quality in smaller towns of the National Capital region (NCR), the report released on 1 December states, "The tinier towns in the region display more intense and longer-lasting smog buildup. Even though the peak pollution spikes are lower this winter due to the lesser contribution of farm fires, the airshed is getting increasingly more saturated."

IMD issues cold wave alert

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the current atmospheric conditions indicate that there is cyclonic circulation over south Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring areas, and up to 1.5 km above mean sea level.

IMD issued a yellow alert for a cold wave in the national capital on 5 December. “A fresh feeble Western Disturbance is likely to influence western Himalayan region from 05th December 2025,” the weather agency said in its latest press release.

Predicting "mainly clear sky" and “shallow fog” during morning hours, IMD said, “The maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be in the range of 23 to 25°C and 07 to 09°C, respectively. The minimum temperatures will be below normal (-0.5 to -2.5°C), and the maximum temperatures will be below normal (-0.3 to -2.3°C) over Delhi.”