Delhi Continues To Breathe Toxic Air, AQI At 371, Trains Delayed

Delhi woke up to another polluted morning with a thin layer of haze and smog engulfing the city. At 371, the Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in the “very poor” category with Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) being the prominent pollutant, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

At 6:30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported visibility at Kanpur and Bengaluru airports as less than 300 meters. Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi and Gorakhpur airports also reported less than 400 meters visibility.

This has directly affected railways. Over 14 trains coming to and from Delhi are delayed, while 11 have been rescheduled.

The nearby areas reported poor levels of AQI - Gurugram (298), Ghaziabad (291), Faridabad (243), Noida (253), and Greater Noida (212).

To curb pollution levels, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) carried out night cleaning and sweeping of roads at several locations in the national capital early Friday morning.

After a week of 'severe' pollution levels, Delhi's air quality has improved slightly but is still in the 'very poor' zone. In light of the toxic air quality, the Delhi government has been taking several measures like working from home and, online classes to minimise citizens' exposure to the polluted air.

The Central government has also adopted staggered working timings till GRAP-IV is in force – 9 am to 5.30 pm and 10 am to 6.30 pm. “The officers/ staff using personal vehicles should be encouraged to pool vehicles and to use public transport to minimise vehicular pollution,” the Department of Personnel and Training said.

Earlier this week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) made amendments to restrictions enforced under GRAP III and GRAP IV. It is now mandatory for NCR states to discontinue physical classes up to Class V under GRAP Stage III and up to Class XII under GRAP Stage IV. This marks a significant policy shift, removing the discretionary power previously held by state governments.

Under GRAP Stage III, state governments are required to implement staggered timings for public offices and municipal bodies to reduce traffic congestion and associated emissions. A mask advisory has been introduced under stage IV.