Thick Haze Blankets Delhi As Air Quality Remains "Very Poor", Many Areas In "Red"

A thick blanket of haze continued to cover Delhi and its adjoining areas on Monday morning as the air quality remained in the 'very poor' category, with many areas under the 'red zone'. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 345 at 8 am, according to the data available on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website. It was 391 on Sunday.

Most parts of the city recorded AQI levels between 300 and 400, indicating extremely poor to severe air quality conditions. While Anand Vihar stood at 379, the Delhi Airport area recorded an air quality index of 307. ITO was at 375, Punjabi Bagh at 324, Wazirpur at 397, and Rohini at 390. The air quality index in Bawana crossed the 400 mark in the 'severe' category at 412. The situation was no better in neighbouring regions, with Faridabad at 312, Ghaziabad at 318, Greater Noida at 325, Gurugram at 328, and Noida at 310, all falling within the 'very poor' range.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe, and above 450 severe-plus.

Visuals showed a thick haze at Akshardham, where the AQI was recorded at 479.

#WATCH | Delhi: Visuals from Akshardham area this morning as a layer of toxic smog blankets the city.

AQI (Air Quality Index) around the area is 379, categorised as 'Very Poor', as claimed by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board). pic.twitter.com/pAYqHvmng5

— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2025

Visuals from the Barapullah Bridge as the AQI around the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium area remained in the 'very poor' range.

#WATCH | Visuals from the Barapullah Bridge engulfed in a layer of toxic smog as the AQI around the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium area is in the 'Very Poor' category at 310 as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). pic.twitter.com/gDVJxPAeRT

— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2025

In the Lodhi Road area, where the air quality stood at 314, officials sprinkled water to reduce the blanket of smog.

The weather department forecasts have indicated that the overall air quality is likely to stay in the "very poor" category in the coming days.

No GRAP 3 for now

Despite the poor air quality in the national capital, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has decided against invoking stricter curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage 3 for now, citing a slight improvement. According to the panel, Delhi's hourly average AQI stood at 391 at 10 am on Sunday but improved to 370 by 4 pm and further to 365 at 5 pm.

The panel added that it is closely monitoring the situation and will review the air quality as required.

Under GRAP-3, private BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles are banned. There is also a ban on non-essential construction work, classes up to grade five are required to shift to a hybrid mode, and parents and students have the option to choose online education wherever available.

Protests over air pollution

Scores of people, including residents and children, staged a protest near India Gate on Sunday, against the worsening air quality in the national capital. They were seen holding placards that read "Smog se Azadi!" and "Breathing is killing me" as Delhi's AQI neared the 'severe' category.

#WATCH | Residents of Delhi protest at India Gate, demanding that the government formulate policies to curb air pollution in the National Capital region. pic.twitter.com/G03Ixjd3Dn

— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2025

A young child held up a placard that read: "I want to stay in Delhi with my friends and go to school! Help us breathe".

"This is a health emergency, not a blame game. Trial-and-error has failed our children. The government must deliver a clean-air policy now," a protester said.

While the protests remained peaceful without violence, many demonstrators were detained.

"There was no permission to hold a protest at the India Gate. To maintain law and order and ensure there is no obstruction in security arrangements, some people were detained," a police officer said.