Delhi wakes up to thick smog as AQI touches 386, air quality remains in 'very poor' category

Delhi woke up to dense smog connected Saturday (November 15, 2025) greeting arsenic the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood astatine 386 astatine 8 a.m., falling nether the ‘very poor’ category, according to information released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

India Gate was hardly disposable this morning, shrouded by a heavy furniture of smog, arsenic the aerial prime successful the nationalist superior remained hazardous. The toxic aerial persisted a time aft Delhi recorded an AQI of 397, besides successful the ‘very poor’ range.

According to CPCB readings, respective areas successful the metropolis witnessed alarming contamination levels. Ashok Vihar reported an AQI of 415, Bawana 441, Burari Crossing 383, CRRI Mathura Road 365, Chandni Chowk 419, Dwarka Sector-8 393, ITO 418, Jahangirpuri 422, JLN Stadium 389, Mundka 426, Najafgarh 385, Narela 418, Patparganj 399, Punjabi Bagh 405, RK Puram 406, Rohini 423, Siri Fort 495, Sonia Vihar 410, Vivek Vihar 418 and Wazirpur 447. Most of these locations fell nether the ‘very poor’ oregon ‘severe’ categories.

As per CPCB classification, an AQI betwixt 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.

With aerial prime successful the nationalist superior deteriorating sharply, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has already implemented Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) crossed the National Capital Region. The measures purpose to power emissions done stricter restrictions connected construction, vehicular question and concern operations.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana to record a presumption study connected the measures taken to curb stubble burning, which contributes to the aerial contamination situation successful the Delhi-NCR region.

A seat of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran ordered, “We nonstop the authorities of Punjab and Haryana to record a study connected what steps are being taken to curb stubble burning.”

An advocator successful the lawsuit told the seat that portion the Commission for Air Quality Management (CQAM) has implemented the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) GRAP-III, the concern demanded the implementation of GRAP-IV instead.

Under GRAP-III, curbs see a prohibition connected astir non-essential operation activities, restrictions connected BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers, suspension of classes for students up to Class 5 with a displacement to hybrid oregon online learning, curbs connected concern operations babelike connected non-clean fuel, and a prohibition connected non-emergency diesel generator sets.

The program besides restricts concern enactment astatine non-clean substance facilities and bans non-emergency diesel generator sets.