📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Weather
Delhi’s AQI jumps from 78 to over 200, air turns hazardous again
✍️ India Today
🗓 31 Oct 2026, 03:38 PM
👁 2
The capital’s air‑quality index rose sharply from a moderate 78 to more than 200, putting Delhi’s air in the very unhealthy bracket.
Delhi’s real‑time air‑quality monitoring system recorded a sudden surge in the AQI, moving from a moderate reading of 78 to a level exceeding 200 within a short span. An AQI above 200 is classified as "very unhealthy" under the national pollution index, indicating that the air is potentially harmful even for healthy individuals.
Health officials warned residents to limit outdoor activities and to use masks if they must step outside. Schools and workplaces in the most affected zones were advised to keep windows closed and to rely on indoor air filtration where possible.
The spike follows a pattern of recurring air‑quality deterioration in the winter months, when temperature inversions and reduced wind speed often trap pollutants close to the ground. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and may issue further advisories if the index climbs higher.
While the exact cause of today’s rapid rise has not been detailed, the reading underscores the ongoing challenge of managing Delhi’s air pollution, a concern that impacts public health and daily life across the city.
Health officials warned residents to limit outdoor activities and to use masks if they must step outside. Schools and workplaces in the most affected zones were advised to keep windows closed and to rely on indoor air filtration where possible.
The spike follows a pattern of recurring air‑quality deterioration in the winter months, when temperature inversions and reduced wind speed often trap pollutants close to the ground. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and may issue further advisories if the index climbs higher.
While the exact cause of today’s rapid rise has not been detailed, the reading underscores the ongoing challenge of managing Delhi’s air pollution, a concern that impacts public health and daily life across the city.