Delhi's Air Quality Deteriorates Ahead of Diwali: AQI Hits 366, 22 Spots Over 400

Just a day before the festival of lights, Delhi’s sky looks anything but bright. The capital’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) lingered at a worrying 366, firmly placed in the ‘Very Poor’ bracket.

What’s even more unsettling is that 22 monitoring stations across the city spiked past the 400‑point threshold, pushing those locations into the ‘Severe’ category. The worst readings came from IIT (442), Punjabi Bagh (433) and Vivek Vihar (427), with Jahangirpuri and Rohini not far behind.

Neighbouring NCR towns were not spared either. Gurugram’s AQI climbed to 355, Faridabad hit 347, while Noida and Ghaziabad recorded 284 and 286 respectively – figures that underline a region‑wide smog blanket.

Authorities have already rolled out Stage‑III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The rule‑book now bans non‑essential construction and demolition, clamps down on older BS‑III petrol and BS‑IV diesel vehicles, and shuts stone crushers and mining ops. Even brick kilns and hot‑mix plants that don’t meet emissions standards are ordered to stop.

On the ground, Delhi’s municipal teams are stepping up mechanical road sweeping, sprinkling water on dusty stretches, and restricting heavy diesel‑guzzling goods vehicles from entering the city unless they run on BS‑VI fuel. Schools may shift to online classes to keep children out of the polluted air.

Despite these measures, the smog stubbornly clings, raising concerns about public health as Diwali fireworks loom on the horizon. Residents are being urged to wear masks, limit outdoor activity, and keep windows shut wherever possible.