Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index of 383 on Diwali morning, placing the city in the very poor category. Many monitoring stations showed severe levels, with Jahangirpuri hitting 450. Authorities started Stage 3 measures under the Graded Response Action Plan to help control the rising pollution across the national capital.
Delhi woke up to toxic air on Diwali morning, with the national capital recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 383 at 8 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The reading placed the city's air quality in the 'very poor' category, while several monitoring stations recorded levels in the 'severe' range.
Several monitoring stations recorded AQI readings above 400, indicating 'severe' air pollution. Jahangirpuri recorded the highest AQI at 450, followed by Punjabi Bagh at 446, RK Puram at 448, Bawana at 444 and IIT Delhi at 443.
Dwarka-Sector 8 recorded an AQI of 438, while Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium stood at 431 and CRRI Mathura Road at 426. Chandni Chowk registered 423, Mundka 421, Burari 416 and Alipur 410.
Meanwhile, ITO recorded an AQI of 396, followed by IGI Airport (T3) at 359, Anand Vihar at 350, Badarpur at 349 and Lodhi Road at 340.
Under the CPCB's National Air Quality Index classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is categorised as 'good', 51-100 as 'satisfactory', 101-200 as 'moderate', 201-300 as 'poor', 301-400 as 'very poor' and 401-500 as 'severe'.
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Noida, Gurugram also record high AQI
Air quality remained elevated across several neighbouring National Capital Region (NCR) cities. Gurugram recorded an AQI of 322, placing it in the 'very poor' category, while Noida registered 319. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 298, Greater Noida 285 and Faridabad 293, all in the 'poor' category.
Delhi pollution: Grap Stage 3 measures in force
With air quality deteriorating across the region, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Stage 3 measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) across Delhi-NCR to prevent further deterioration.
The Delhi government has also announced it would enforce an annual ban on vehicles registered in other states or Union territories that do not meet BS-VI emission standards, from November 1 to January 31.
The government had earlier announced the restriction for the same period this year under its Winter Action Plan, aimed at curbing vehicular emissions and road dust during the months when the national capital typically experiences its worst air pollution.
"Every year, from November 1 to January 31, other state-registered BS-IV and below vehicles will not be allowed to ply in Delhi," a Delhi transport department's public notification said on Saturday.
With effect from November 1, 2026, commercial goods vehicles, including large, medium and heavy goods vehicles, as well as buses meeting BS-IV or lower emission standards, will not be allowed to enter Delhi. The restriction also covers buses operating under the All India Tourist Permit and other service regimes, the notification said.