Delhi air in ‘severe’ category with AQI of 426 — worst in India

Delhi was the second “most polluted” major city in the world on Thursday morning, according to IQAir

The overall air quality of Delhi continued to be in the ‘severe’ category on Thursday (November 14, 2024) morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

The city recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season so far at 16.1 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal, according to the weather department. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) at 9 a.m. was 428, which falls in the ‘severe’ category.

Air pollution is likely to remain in the ‘severe’ category on Thursday and improve slightly to the ‘very poor’ category on Friday, according to official data.

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An AQI of ‘severe’ category “affects” healthy people and “seriously impacts” those with existing diseases, according to the CPCB.

“Of 39 monitoring stations in Delhi, 32 recorded air quality in the ‘severe’ category, with readings above 400. These stations include Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, IGI Airport, ITO, Mandir Marg, North Campus, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, and Pusa among others,” an official said.

Delhi was the second “most polluted” major city in the world on Thursday morning, according to IQAir’s (a Swiss air quality technology company) live data for over 120 cities.

The city’s 24-hour AQI, recorded at 4 p.m. every day, stood at 418 on Wednesday, up from 334 the previous day.

Low visibility at airport

Low visibility procedures were put in place at the Delhi airport for flight operations on Thursday morning due to bad weather conditions.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is the country’s busiest airport and handles around 1,400 flight movements daily.

“Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi airport. All flight operations are presently normal,” the airport operator DIAL said in a post on X at 7 am. It also requested passengers to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.

“#6ETravelAdvisory : This morning, winter fog may impact flights to/from #Amritsar, #Varanasi & #Delhi,” IndiGo said in a post on X at 2.37 am.

On Wednesday, at least 10 flights were diverted and scores of flights were delayed due to low visibility conditions.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published - November 14, 2024 09:39 am IST