Delhi Air Turns Hazardous as AQI Nears 400; Thick Smog, Cold Wave Grip Capital

Delhi's air quality plunged deep into hazardous territory on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with the overall Air Quality Index hovering around 390 in the morning according to Central Pollution Control Board data, firmly in the 'very poor' category and teetering on the edge of 'severe', while a thick blanket of toxic smog enveloped the city, sharply reducing visibility and escalating serious health risks for millions of residents, particularly vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Multiple monitoring stations across the capital registered extreme pollution levels, with hotspots such as Anand Vihar, Ghazipur, and Akshardham all recording AQI readings of 438, categorizing them as 'severe', alongside Chandni Chowk hitting even higher at 464, and numerous other areas like Wazirpur, Rohini, and Jahangirpuri pushing into alarming severe zones, reflecting widespread contamination driven by trapped pollutants.

Dense to very dense fog intensified the ongoing crisis, prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue an orange alert for Delhi and surrounding regions including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh, with visibility plummeting to near zero in many spots, leading to massive disruptions in road traffic, rail services with dozens of trains delayed, and aviation operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport facing cancellations and delays amid low-visibility procedures.

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Dropping temperatures deepened the widespread discomfort, as Delhi experienced cold day and cold wave conditions with the maximum temperature struggling around markedly below-normal levels, dipping as low as 16-17 degrees Celsius in recent days and minimums around 6-8 degrees Celsius, forcing residents to stay indoors while the persistent haze obscured iconic landmarks like India Gate and blurred the entire skyline.

Calm winds, low ventilation indices, and temperature inversion continued to trap vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and seasonal contributors near ground level, prompting the invocation of stringent GRAP Stage-IV measures across Delhi-NCR including bans on certain vehicles and construction, as the recurring winter pollution surge highlights the pressing demand for comprehensive, long-term strategies to safeguard public health and air quality in the region.

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