Delhi’s air quality deteriorated again on Thursday, sliding back into the “very poor” category after a brief morning improvement. The city’s 24-hour average AQI rose to 304 by evening, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Earlier in the day, Delhi had shown slight relief with an AQI of 299—just within the “poor” bracket—before pollution levels climbed once more by late afternoon. Data from CPCB’s SAMEER app showed that 27 of the 40 monitoring stations recorded “very poor” air quality, with Nehru Nagar posting the highest reading at 362.
Over the past week, the capital has witnessed dramatic fluctuations in pollution levels: an AQI of 279 on November 30, climbing to 304 on December 1, then spiking to 372 on December 2, slipping to 342 on December 3, before Thursday’s brief dip and renewed decline.
The Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts that the city will remain in the “very poor” category over the coming days. Transport emissions accounted for the largest share of local pollution on Thursday at 13.7%, with the Decision Support System projecting the sector’s contribution to rise to 15% on Friday.
Neighbouring NCR areas also featured in the pollution mix, with Jhajjar contributing 11.8%, Rohtak 4.3%, Sonipat 3.4% and Gurgaon 1.2%.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of a possible cold wave in Delhi starting December 5, which could further compound pollution levels due to slower dispersion of pollutants.
