Delhi residents woke up to another day of hazardous air as the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) remained firmly in the “very poor” category at 360, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s 9 a.m. bulletin on Saturday. The reading, unchanged from the past 48 hours, continues to place Delhi among the world’s most polluted capitals, with particulate matter PM2.5 levels exceeding World Health Organization guidelines by more than tenfold in several areas. Despite a brief dip in pollution earlier this week due to light westerly winds, calm conditions and high moisture have once again allowed pollutants from vehicular emissions, stubble burning, and local sources to accumulate overnight.

The India Meteorological Department recorded a minimum temperature of 11.8°C—slightly below the seasonal average—while relative humidity touched 100 percent at 8:30 a.m., creating ideal conditions for dense morning fog across the National Capital Region. The IMD has forecast shallow to moderate fog through the day, with visibility likely to drop further during early hours and late evenings. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 28.2°C under mainly clear skies.

Health experts have renewed warnings for vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or cardiac conditions, to limit outdoor exposure and use N95 masks when stepping out. Hospitals across Delhi-NCR have reported a 15–20 per cent rise in cases of asthma exacerbations, bronchitis, and eye irritation over the past week. Schools in several districts have shifted morning assemblies indoors and curtailed outdoor sports activities until air quality improves.

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Authorities continue to enforce Stage III measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including a ban on non-essential construction, restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles, and staggered office timings. However, with no significant wind or rain forecast until early December, the Delhi government has indicated that stricter Stage IV restrictions—including potential closure of colleges and non-essential offices—remain under active consideration if the AQI crosses 400 in the coming days. For now, the capital’s 20 million residents face yet another weekend breathing toxic air, with little immediate relief in sight.

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