Delhi's air quality remained in the 'poor' category for the second straight day on Saturday, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 233, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The reading was slightly higher than Friday's 218, though a marked improvement from Thursday's alarming 373, which had pushed pollution levels into the 'very poor' range.
Data from the CPCB's Sameer app revealed that air quality fluctuated between the 'moderate' and 'poor' categories across the city. Among all locations, Wazirpur in north Delhi reported the highest pollution level at 323, falling under the 'very poor' bracket.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) around ITO stood at 270, placing it in the 'poor' category.
As per CPCB guidelines, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.
Several parts of Delhi recorded relatively better air on Saturday. Pusa (185), Lodhi Road (177), IGI Airport (175), Mathura Road (158) and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range (197) all registered 'moderate' air quality levels. However, pollution hotspots such as Anand Vihar (285), Punjabi Bagh (256), Bawana (294), Ashok Vihar (282) and RK Puram (284) remained trapped in the 'poor' category.
In contrast, Lodhi Road reported a relatively better AQI of 180, which comes under the 'moderate' category. To help curb dust levels, a truck-mounted water sprinkler has been deployed in the area.
The capital's air quality has steadily worsened since Diwali, with Thursday's AQI of 373 marking the highest level in the past three years. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, conditions are expected to remain in the 'very poor' range from Saturday through 3 November.
At Akshardham and nearby areas, the AQI was recorded at 272, also falling under the 'poor' bracket. Similarly, the air quality around AIIMS registered 291, indicating continued poor conditions.
On Friday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 30.7°C, which was four degrees below the seasonal average, while the minimum temperature settled at 21.6°C, around 5.5 degrees above normal. Relative humidity stood at 82 per cent at 5:30 pm. The weather office forecast minimum and maximum temperatures of around 19°C and 31°C, respectively, for the next day.
In a bid to control pollution, authorities have banned commercial goods vehicles that do not comply with at least BS-IV emission standards from entering Delhi starting today. Officials said enforcement teams from the Transport Department and Traffic Police will be stationed across entry points to ensure compliance.
Vehicles registered within Delhi, BS-VI diesel vehicles, BS-IV diesel vehicles valid until 31 October 2026, and those running on CNG, LNG, or electricity will remain exempt from the restriction.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had earlier, on 17 October, approved a sweeping ban on the entry of polluting commercial vehicles into the capital from 1 November onwards.
Despite the recent deterioration, Delhi witnessed its best overall air quality between January and October this year in eight years, excluding 2020, when lockdowns kept pollution levels unusually low, the CAQM reported.
The average AQI for the first ten months of 2025 stood at 170, down from 184 in 2024 and 172 in 2023. The figures for earlier years were 187 in 2022, 179 in 2021, 156 in 2020, 192 in 2019 and 201 in 2018, suggesting a gradual improvement in the region's air quality.
Notably, Delhi did not record a single 'severe' air quality day (AQI above 400) in the first ten months of 2025, the first such instance since 2018. There were three such days each in 2024 and 2023, one in 2022, six in 2021, two in 2020, nine in 2019 and seven in 2018.
The capital also logged 79 'satisfactory' air quality days (AQI between 51 and 100) during the same period, the highest since 2018 apart from the lockdown year. In comparison, Delhi recorded 66 such days in 2024, 60 in 2023, 65 in 2022, 72 in 2021, 95 in 2020, 58 in 2019 and 53 in 2018.