Delhi recorded a city-wide Air Quality Index of 351 at 8 a.m. on Thursday, plunging back into the ‘very poor’ category less than 24 hours after the Commission for Air Quality Management abruptly revoked Stage 3 restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan across the entire National Capital Region, citing marginally favourable meteorological forecasts that many experts now deem premature.

Multiple monitoring stations painted a grim picture, with Anand Vihar registering 390, Jahangirpuri 394, Narela 388, Rohini a choking 400, and Burari 369, while prominent areas such as Chandni Chowk, ITO, Dwarka Sector-8, and Punjabi Bagh all hovered well above the 350 mark. Wednesday’s 24-hour average of 327 represented only a marginal dip from Tuesday’s 353, marking the 21st consecutive day that Delhiites have breathed air classified as ‘very poor’ or worse.

Despite the downgrade, the CAQM sub-committee warned that forecasts from the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology indicate air quality will remain locked in the ‘very poor’ zone for the next several days, with little prospect of immediate relief. Stage 1 and Stage 2 measures have been intensified, but the rollback of stricter curbs—including bans on older vehicles and non-essential construction—has sparked sharp criticism from environmentalists who argue the decision prioritises economic activity over public health.

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Construction and demolition sites that received closure notices under Stage 3 will continue to remain shuttered until they obtain explicit written permission from the Commission, even as other restrictions are relaxed. The selective enforcement highlights the challenge of balancing livelihood concerns with pollution control in a region where thousands of projects employ migrant labour dependent on daily wages.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav convened a high-level review on Wednesday and directed Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to immediately draft a long-term, scientifically mapped greening strategy covering both urban pockets and rural hinterlands. Meanwhile, hospitals across the capital report a sustained surge in respiratory, ocular, and cardiac cases, underscoring that the temporary easing of emergency measures has done little to shield millions from the lingering winter smog crisis.

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