Delhi AQI today: National capital wakes up to toxic air on Diwali, over 24 stations record AQI over 400; check IMD's weather forecast and more

Delhi's air continued to remain in the 'very poor' category on Diwali morning, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 384, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several monitoring stations recorded AQI levels above 400, Jahangirpuri recorded the highest PM2.5 level at 450, followed by Punjabi Bagh (449), R K Puram (448), Bawana (446) and IIT Delhi (445). Of the 59 monitoring stations across the city, 24 recorded severe air quality at 7:30 am, while the remaining stations were in the very poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

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

Delhi AQI today: Check top 10 stations with worst AQI

Rank	Station Name	AQI	Prominent Pollutant
1	Jahangirpuri, Delhi - DPCC	450	PM2.5
2	Punjabi Bagh, Delhi - DPCC	449	PM2.5
3	R K Puram, Delhi - DPCC	448	PM2.5
4	Bawana, Delhi - DPCC	446	PM2.5
5	IIT Delhi, Delhi - IITM	445	PM10
6	Rohini, Delhi - DPCC	445	PM2.5
7	NSIT Dwarka, Delhi - CPCB	441	PM10
8	DTU, Delhi - CPCB	438	PM2.5
9	Dwarka-Sector 8, Delhi - DPCC	437	PM2.5
10	Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi - DPCC	431	PM2.5

Delhi air pollution: Schools till 5th class to go hybrid

Schools in Delhi and five neighbouring NCR cities have been directed to conduct classes up to Class 5 in hybrid mode as air pollution levels deteriorate ahead of Diwali. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the decision on Friday, making a combination of online and offline classes compulsory for students in the affected areas.


The directive covers schools in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram and Sonipat. The move comes after Delhi invoked Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as the Air Quality Index (AQI) slipped into the severe category.

The government has asked schools to provide flexibility in their teaching arrangements in view of the worsening air quality. However, the hybrid arrangement is mandatory and individual schools cannot decide whether or not to implement it.

Delhi air pollution: Strict curbs in place

With Stage-III measures now in force, the existing curbs will continue alongside additional measures, including stricter pollution-control steps, increased enforcement and directions to concerned agencies to prevent further deterioration in air quality.

The emergency action plan—which applies across Delhi and adjoining districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan—is invoked as a precautionary measure based on meteorological and pollution forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), ensuring restrictions are placed before citywide Air Quality Index (AQI) levels breach the 'Severe' 401 mark.

GRAP is a four-stage emergency framework managed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in coordination with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and regional state governments, with restrictions becoming progressively stricter as air quality worsens.

Under Stage I, triggered when the AQI is between 201 and 300 and categorised as 'poor', the focus is on road dust control, enforcing pollution norms and banning open waste burning.

Stage II kicks in when AQI is between 301 and 400, or 'very poor', bringing enhanced dust control, higher parking fees and staggered office timings.

Stage III is invoked when AQI reaches 401 to 450, classified as 'severe', and entails strict vehicle bans, halting of construction and hybrid learning for primary schools.

Stage IV, for AQI above 450 categorised as 'severe plus', involves a ban on heavy goods vehicles and emergency traffic and industrial restrictions.

The activation of Stage III introduces high-impact measures targeted at curbing emissions and dust, operating concurrently with existing Stage I and Stage II mandates.

Strict bans are enforced on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers across Delhi and designated NCR districts. The revised framework also tightens restrictions on older light/medium goods vehicles and non-Delhi-registered diesel commercial vehicles entering the capital.

All non-essential, highly dust-generating construction, major excavations, earthwork, demolition, and road construction are suspended. Permitted essential projects must follow rigorous dust-mitigation protocols.

Heavy dust-generating operations, including stone crushers and mining activities, face immediate shutdown or operational restrictions.

Delhi weather forecast

Delhi is expected to witness foggy conditions during the morning hours from November 8 to 13, with shallow to moderate fog likely throughout the period. The maximum temperature is forecast to remain between 27°C and 29°C, while the minimum temperature may range from 14°C to 16°C.

On November 8, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at 29°C and 15°C, respectively, with shallow fog. Moderate fog is expected on November 9 and 10, with temperatures ranging between 15°C and 28°C and 14°C and 27°C, respectively.

From November 11 to 13, shallow fog is likely to prevail, with maximum temperatures ranging from 28°C to 29°C and minimum temperatures between 15°C and 16°C. Humidity is expected to remain between 60% and 90% during the forecast period.

The IMD has issued no weather warnings for any of these six days.