Overview
- CPCB data showed Delhi’s AQI at 418 on Monday after 440 on Sunday, extending a rare three-day streak above 400 that the city last neared in January 2021.
- Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan is in force across NCR, halting most construction, restricting polluting vehicles and tightening industrial controls, with health advisories urging limited outdoor exposure.
- Pollution hotspots recorded extreme levels, with Anand Vihar peaking at an AQI of 497 and PM2.5 touching about 890 µg/m3, far above national standards.
- Dense fog cut visibility across the city, slowing road traffic and delaying more than 500 flights at IGI Airport, though cancellations remained limited.
- Experts cited calm winds and fog for poor dispersion, while IITM’s DSS identified transport as the largest contributor and neighboring districts as significant sources; IMD signals possible rain and stronger winds around January 22–24 that could offer short-term relief.