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4d ago

Delhi’s Brief Air-Quality Respite Ends as AQI Rebounds to Very Poor

Forecasters warn the improvement was fleeting, with calm, foggy conditions set to trap pollutants.

On Wednesday, a shallow to moderate fog enveloped several parts of the city in the morning hours. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)
Image
A train crossing in low visibility due to dense fog at Pataliputra Railway Station in Patna, Friday (SANTOSH KUMAR/HT)
In Noida region, between December 14 and December 22, dust suppression formed a key part of the response as pollution control measure (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Overview

  • Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI climbed to 332 at 4 pm on Friday, after 234 on Thursday, with eight of 38 stations registering severe levels.
  • Morning readings reached 305 citywide as wind speeds dropped and fog returned, reversing the wind-driven gains seen on December 24–25.
  • Stage IV GRAP curbs were revoked on December 24 following the improvement, while Stages I–III remain in force across Delhi-NCR.
  • Official data showed vehicles as the largest single contributor to PM2.5 on Wednesday at about 19.7%, with Haryana’s Jhajjar providing the highest nearby district share.
  • Early-warning systems project very poor air through the coming days, while authorities continue enforcement drives and plan six new monitoring stations including at JNU and IGNOU.