Delhi Air Quality Spikes To 'Severe' Levels Post-Diwali Despite GRAP-III Curbs

Even with one of the highest levels of restrictions activated, Delhi's air quality plunged into the 'severe' category this morning, a day after Diwali celebrations. Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is still active across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital spiking to 483 at 8.10 am, while at least 15 monitoring stations across the city breached the 400 mark as a thick, acrid haze engulfed neighbourhoods and arterial roads.

At the busy ITO intersection, where the CPCB recorded a 'severe' AQI of 407, commuters and pedestrians struggled to breathe through the dense smog, complaining of persistent headaches and burning eyes. A few kilometres away, a thick grey curtain completely obscured the Akshardham temple from the adjacent flyover.

"The visibility has been impacted because of the pollution situation in Delhi. Akshardham temple is hidden behind a layer of thick haze. Earlier we could clearly see the temple from here," an NDTV reporter said from Akshardham flyover, noting the Air Quality Early Warning System has predicted conditions to worsen through the day due to unfavourable meteorological factors.

Along the Delhi-Noida border and in north Delhi's Inderlok, drivers switched on their headlights in the morning hours to navigate the smog.

Real-time figures from the CPCB's Sameer mobile application and station-level monitoring indicated widespread pockets of extreme toxicity across the national capital.

Vivek Vihar recorded an AQI of 445 (and 437 in separate CPCB hourly logs), while Burari Crossing registered 441. Jahangirpuri recorded readings between 433 and 442, Rohini stood between 430 and 438, and Delhi Technological University (DTU) logged readings between 430 and 434.

Other stations in the 'severe' bracket included North Campus at 433, Bawana at 427, Ghazipur at 418, Mundka at 417, Punjabi Bagh at 408 to 409, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) at Narela at 407.

IQAir, a private Swiss company specialising in protection against airborne pollutants, reported AQI of above 1,000 in Shahdara.

Some areas hovered just below the 400 threshold in the 'very poor' category. The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) on Mathura Road recorded an AQI of 396. The Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range logged an AQI of 361, followed by Najafgarh at 340.

The post-Diwali spike occurred despite the authorities invoking Stage III of GRAP on Friday, three days before Diwali, based on meteorological and pollution forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).

Managed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in coordination with the CPCB and state governments across Delhi and adjoining districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the four-stage emergency framework enforces progressively stricter curbs.

Under CPCB parameters, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as 'good', 51 and 100 as 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 as 'moderate', 201 and 300 as 'poor', 301 and 400 as 'very poor', and 401 and 500 as 'severe'.

Stage III (triggered in the 401 - 450 'severe' range) enforces a halt to non-essential construction activities, stricter vehicular restrictions and hybrid classes for primary school students.

Deteriorating air quality was also reported in other cities this morning. In Uttar Pradesh, a thick layer of smog blanketed several parts of Lucknow, while in Mumbai, haze hung over the Kalanagar and Bandra areas. Monitoring stations in Mumbai recorded an AQI of 264 at Kherwadi-Bandra East, 226 at Sewri and 221 at Ghatkopar, among others.