Delhi AQI Worsens: Smog pushes several areas into ‘severe’ zone, what’s fueling this alarming spike?

Delhi-NCR remained blanketed in a thick layer of smog on Monday with air quality dipping once again into the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories. At 6 a.m., the capital recorded an average AQI of 360, but several monitoring stations crossed the 400 mark, showing severe pollution levels and posing serious health risks.

AQI crosses 400 at several stations in Delhi-NCR

Many key locations continued to record hazardous air quality. According to the data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), here are some areas along with their AQI levels:

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Delhi

• Bawana: 408
• Wazirpur:397 (leaning towards severe)
• Jahangirpuri: 394 (leaning towards severe)
• Ashok Vihar: 377
• Anand Vihar: 371
• Chandni Chowk:365
• Burari Crossing: 334
• ITO: 304
• Mundka: 374
• Pusa: 330
• CRRI Mathura Road: 346
• Alipur: 376
• RK Puram: 353
• Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range: 340
• Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium: 328

Noida

• Sector-125: 374 (leaning towards severe)
• Sector-62: 310
• Sector-116: 371
• Sector-1: 354

Ghaziabad

• Loni: 401
• Sanjay Nagar: 421
• Indirapuram: 358

Supreme court to resume key hearing today

The Supreme Court is set to resume hearing on Monday the public interest litigation (PIL) concerning alarming air pollution levels in the national capital and adjoining areas.

The hearing assumes significance as stubble burning and stagnant weather conditions continue to push Delhi-NCR’s air quality into the ‘severe’ category.

According to the cause list on the Apex Court’s website, a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai and Justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria will take up the matter for further hearing on November 17.

In the previous hearing on November 12, the CJI Gavai-led Bench had expressed concern over the deteriorating air quality despite enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana to file detailed affidavits on steps taken to curb stubble burning.

The court had also noted submissions highlighting that AQI had crossed 450 at several locations in Delhi-NCR. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan flagged that even routine construction work, including drilling outside the Supreme Court premises, continued despite hazardous conditions. “At least for a few days, such activities should stop,” he told the Bench, IANS reported.

Read Also: Do’s and don’ts amid rising AQI levels across Delhi-NCR: Key takeaways from latest health advisory

Amicus curiae Aparajita Singh also pointed out discrepancies in official pollution data and warned that the situation had become “very dangerous”.

The Bench earlier sought a report from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on its monitoring systems and even asked the Centre to consider strict penalties, including arrests, to deter stubble burning.

Justice P. S. Narasimha urged lawyers to avoid physical appearances and switch to virtual hearings. “Situation is very, very serious! Why are you all appearing here?” he remarked. “We have the virtual hearing facility. Please avail it. This pollution will cause permanent damage.”

What's fueling this alarming spike?

According to experts, these reasons are pushing AQI levels into the ‘severe’ zone repeatedly:

• A combination of stubble burning in neighbouring states.
• Stagnant wind conditions.
• Falling temperatures and unchecked local emissions—such as traffic smoke.
• Construction dust and industrial output—continues to trap pollutants close to the surface.
• With no strong winds or rain to disperse particles, smog blankets the region.