Delhi's air quality saw a slight improvement on Monday, November 3, 2025, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 316. This marks a shift from Sunday's "very poor" level of 366, offering a marginal respite to residents. While the improvement is welcome, the air quality still falls within the "poor" to "very poor" category, signaling continued health concerns.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) releases its daily national bulletin at 4 pm, and on Monday at 8 am, the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 316. On Sunday, the AQI had peaked at 388 at 10 am before a pickup in wind speed led to a slight improvement.
Different areas of Delhi recorded varying AQI levels. Several monitoring stations in Delhi showed slight improvements. However, many of the total 39 monitoring stations recorded AQI above 300, falling into the 'very poor' category. These include Anand Vihar (371), Bawana (371), Burari Crossing (384), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (331), Mundka (343), Narela (386), Rohini (363) and Wazirpur (389).
Neighboring cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) also recorded 'very poor' air quality, including Noida (311), Ghaziabad (334) and Gurugram (304). Haryana's Rohtak remained the worst-hit across NCR, breaching the 'severe' mark.
The CPCB defines an AQI between 0-50 as "good," 51-100 as "satisfactory," 101-200 as "moderate," 201-300 as "poor," 301-400 as "very poor," and 401-500 as "severe". When air quality is in the "very poor" range, people may experience breathing discomfort, especially those with lung or heart disease, children, and older adults.
Weaker winds have been trapping pollutants, contributing to the overall poor air quality. The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi reported that wind speed dropped below 8 kmph from the northwest direction during evening and night hours, reducing the dispersion of pollutants. The AQEWS forecasts that Delhi's air quality is likely to remain in the "very poor" category until November 4.
The concentration of PM2.5, fine inhalable particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, was recorded at 189.6 micrograms per cubic meter. PM10, which includes slightly larger particles up to 10 micrometers in diameter, stood at 316.
Authorities are taking measures to combat the pollution. The government is using water sprinklers, and anti-smog guns are being used to spray water droplets. A ban is in place on the entry of commercial goods vehicles not registered in Delhi and not compliant with BS-III or lower emission standards.
