Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Wednesday, with most monitoring stations across the national capital recording Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the very poor to very poor categories, raising serious health concerns for residents.
According to area-wise data, industrial and traffic-heavy zones were among the worst hit.
Bawana recorded the highest AQI at 378, followed closely by Mundka (370), Pusa (365), Rohini (364), ITO, Wazirpur and Nehru Nagar (360-361), and Jahangirpuri and NSIT Dwarka (361). These readings fall dangerously close to the severe category, indicating prolonged exposure could cause respiratory distress even in healthy individuals.
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Several residential and commercial hubs also reported alarming pollution levels. Ashok Nagar (350), DTU (357), Sirifort (356), Vivek Vihar (354), Shadipur (343), RK Puram (342), Dwarka Sector 8 (342) and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range (342) reflected widespread deterioration in air quality. Central and old city areas such as Chandni Chowk (328), Punjabi Bagh (339), Patparganj (331) and North Campus, Delhi University (319) were firmly in the very poor bracket.
Even relatively greener or less congested areas did not escape the impact. Lodhi Road (289) and CRRI Mathura Road (297) hovered near the threshold between poor and very poor, while Aya Nagar (272) and IGI Airport T3 (263) showed comparatively lower, yet still unhealthy, AQI levels. The lowest AQI was recorded at IHBAS, Dilshad Garden (247) and Mandir Marg (257), both remaining in the poor category.
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According to AQI.in, breathing the air in the city is as harmful as smoking 8.5 cigarettes a day. It advised residents to turn on their air purifiers, have car filters, use N95 masks and stay indoors. It also gave some common do’s and don’ts:
Do’s:
– Stay indoors as much as possible and keep windows shut to minimise exposure to polluted air.
– Follow your doctor’s advice and take prescribed medications regularly.
– Use air purifiers to improve indoor air quality, particularly in bedrooms and common living spaces.
Don’ts:
– Avoid smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
– Refrain from outdoor workouts or any strenuous physical activity outside.
Here is an area-wise list of AQI levels at 7am Wednesday:
- Alipur – 314
- Anand Vihar – 341
- Ashok Nagar – 350
- Aya Nagar – 272
- Bawana – 378
- Burari Crossing – 299
- CRRI Mathura Road – 297
- Chandni Chowk – 328
- DTU – 357
- Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range – 342
- Dwarka Sector 8 – 342
- IGI Airport T3 – 263
- IHBAS, Dilshad Garden – 247
- IIT Delhi – 300
- ITO – 360
- Jahangirpuri – 361
- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium – 324
- Lodhi Road – 289
- Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium – 302
- Mandir Marg – 257
- Mundka – 370
- NSIT Dwarka – 361
- Najafgarh – 304
- Narela – 341
- Nehru Nagar – 361
- North Campus, DU – 319
- Okhla Phase-2 – 338
- Patparganj – 331
- Punjabi Bagh – 339
- Pusa – 365
- RK Puram – 342
- Rohini – 364
- Shadipur – 343
- Sirifort – 356
- Sonia Vihar – 345
- Sri Aurobindo Marg – 312
- Vivek Vihar – 354
- Wazirpur – 360