By Kavita Mistry 
Last Updated:
A thick layer of toxic smog engulfed central Delhi on Wednesday, with the AQI around India Gate and Kartavya Path hitting a severe 408.
New Delhi: Men row a boat in the Yamuna river as a layer of smog engulfs the city amid deterioration in the air quality (Photo: PTI)
A dense cloud of toxic smog blanketed central Delhi on Wednesday morning, with air quality around India Gate and Kartavya Path dipping to a dangerous level.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 408, firmly in the ‘severe’ category, as the national capital continued to battle hazardous air pollution.
The grim air situation follows a steady deterioration over the past three days.
#WATCH | Delhi | The area around India Gate and Kartavya Path is blanketed in a dense layer of toxic smog as the AQI in the area is 408 in the ‘Severe’ category, as claimed by the CPCB pic.twitter.com/wnxGt4gCx4— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2025
On Tuesday, Delhi witnessed its worst air quality of the season so far, with the AQI plunging to 423.
In response, the Centre activated Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), enforcing stricter anti-pollution measures across the city.
As per CPCB data on Tuesday, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 412, Alipur reported 442, and Bawana registered the highest level at 462. Chandni Chowk recorded an AQI of 416, while RK Puram and Patparganj logged 446 and 438, respectively.
Sonia Vihar also recorded a ‘severe’ AQI of 433, indicating hazardous air conditions across the city.
According to CPCB’s 24-hour average data, the air quality on Monday stood at 362, falling under the ‘Very Poor’ bracket.
As per CPCB norms, an AQI between 0–50 is considered ‘Good’, 51–100 ‘Satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘Moderate’, 201–300 ‘Poor’, 301–400 ‘Very Poor’, and 401–500 ‘Severe’.
Since Diwali, the capital’s air quality has stubbornly remained in the ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ zone, often slipping into the ‘severe’ range due to a combination of stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and stagnant weather conditions.
The average AQI in Delhi for the period between January 1 and November 9, 2025, has been recorded as 175, which was 189 during the corresponding period last year.
PM2.5 and PM10 concentration levels are 75 ug/m3 and 170 ug/m3, respectively, during this period, as against 87 ug/m3 and 191 ug/m3, respectively, during the corresponding period last year, according to a statement from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Meanwhile, the temperatures in Delhi have continued to fall.
On Tuesday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 10.2°C, 4.1 degrees below normal, while the maximum was expected to touch around 28°C.
The city also reported its first cold wave of the season earlier this week, with Aya Nagar recording a chilly 9.9°C on Monday.
ALSO READ | Driving To Delhi? Check List Of Vehicles Not Allowed Amid GRAP 3 Rules
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
November 12, 2025, 07:35 IST
Read More