Delhi’s Air Quality Drops To ‘Poor’

The capital marks the start of the pollution season. See which other major Indian cities are struggling with unhealthy air quality right now.

October 15, 2025: The familiar, toxic cloud of winter air pollution has descended once again upon North India, with the National Capital Region (NCR) today recording a significant deterioration in air quality, prompting the immediate enforcement of the first phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-I).

On Wednesday morning, the region woke up to a visible layer of smog and sharply rising Air Quality Index (AQI) figures. According to the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, the city’s AQI was recorded at 201 in the early hours (5:30 am), placing it firmly in the ‘Poor’ category.

NCR Cities Slide into ‘Very Poor’

While New Delhi hovered in the ‘Poor’ range, the wider NCR saw conditions rapidly worsen:

Noida’s AQI experienced a dramatic surge, climbing from 228 at 5:00 am to a significantly high 369 by 7:00 am, pushing it into the ‘Very Poor’ classification.
Ghaziabad recorded figures hovering around 320–325, also in the ‘Very Poor’ category.
Faridabad saw a steady increase from 252 to 267, remaining in the ‘Poor’ zone.

The sudden spike marks the start of the annual air quality crisis, largely attributed to the combination of changing meteorological conditions, local emissions, and the seasonal problem of farm fires.

GRAP Stage 1 Implemented

In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR enforced Stage 1 of GRAP across the entire National Capital Region on Tuesday.

This initial phase of anti-pollution measures is triggered when the AQI is forecast to cross the 201-mark (Poor). Stage 1 involves a 27-point action plan, focusing on intensified measures such as:

Strict enforcement of dust control norms at construction and demolition sites.
Increased frequency of mechanised road sweeping and water sprinkling.
Tighter vigilance on the ban against open burning of waste.
Stringent checking of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates for vehicles.
A ban on the use of diesel generator (DG) sets as a regular power source (except for emergencies).

The CAQM has directed all implementing agencies to strictly enforce these measures to prevent the AQI from slipping into the ‘Very Poor’ or ‘Severe’ categories, which would mandate even more stringent curbs under subsequent GRAP stages.

Other Northern Cities Also Struggle

The pollution threat is not limited to the NCR. According to the private air quality tracker aqi.in, several other cities in Northern India are also recording high pollution levels, underscoring the regional nature of the crisis.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi recorded the day’s highest AQI at 228. Other cities with high readings include Bhiwandi (209), Bikaner (200), Bahadurgarh (197), Jodhpur (191), and Hapur (190).

Health Advisory Issued

With air quality dipping into dangerous levels, residents, particularly those with respiratory or cardiac ailments, the elderly, and children, are strongly advised to take precautions. Health advisories recommend:

Wearing masks when outdoors.
Minimising prolonged outdoor activities and staying indoors as much as possible.
Avoiding early morning and late evening hours when pollutant concentration is often at its peak.

The situation remains critical, and authorities are closely monitoring air quality trends, with forecasts suggesting the ‘Poor’ category air is likely to persist for the coming days.

AQI Categories (as per CPCB):