New Delhi’s air quality has plunged to unprecedented lows, transforming the entire National Capital Region (NCR) into a suffocating haze. On January 19, the Air Quality Index (AQI) across Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad soared into the ‘severe’ category, with several spots recording levels above 450 and edging perilously close to 500.
The crisis peaked in Delhi, where monitoring stations painted a grim picture. Anand Vihar clocked 461, Ashok Vihar 471, Bawana 442, Chandni Chowk 454, Jahangirpuri 468, Rohini 471, Vivek Vihar 472, and Wazirpur 473. Other areas like ITO at 430, R.K. Puram 439, Sonia Vihar 467, and Mandir Marg 371 also reported hazardous conditions. Even IGI Airport T3 registered 339, teetering between poor and severe.
Noida and Ghaziabad fared no better. Sector-62 in Noida hit 375, Sector-1 439, and Sector-116 422. In Ghaziabad, Indirapuram stood at 433, Loni 476, Sanjay Nagar 389, and Vasundhara 457. Dense fog and smog blanketed the region from dawn, trapping pollutants amid high humidity and stagnant winds, as per the India Meteorological Department.
In response, Stage-4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been enforced across NCR. Strict checks on incoming vehicles, bans on polluting ones, and halts to construction activities are now in place. Experts warn that without a shift in weather patterns or strong winds, conditions could deteriorate further.
Authorities urge residents to stay indoors, wear masks, and protect vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. This alarming escalation underscores the urgent need for sustained action against Delhi’s chronic pollution woes.