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Delhi-NCR Warms Up But Air Quality Stays Poor; New Transport Authority Proposed

Delhi-NCR residents experienced warmer temperatures and bright sunshine, with the IMD noting a slow transition in weather patterns. However, the air quality remained a concern, with an overall AQI of 260 placing it in the 'poor' category across multiple monitoring stations. Concurrently, the Delhi government has constituted a task force to draft a bill proposing the creation of a unified metropolitan transport authority. This initiative aims to streamline the capital's fragmented transport network under a single planning framework.

Key Points: Delhi Air Quality Poor Despite Warming, New Transport Task Force Formed

  • Temperatures rising above seasonal average
  • Air Quality Index in 'poor' category at 260
  • IMD predicts sunny conditions, morning haze
  • Delhi govt forms task force for unified transport authority
2 min read

Delhi-NCR warms up; air quality stays in 'poor' category

Delhi-NCR sees rising temperatures but poor AQI. IMD forecasts sunny days. Delhi govt forms task force to draft bill for unified transport authority.

"aims to streamline, integrate and coordinate Delhi's currently fragmented transport network - Chief Minister's office"

New Delhi, Feb 7

Delhi-NCR witnessed a gradual rise in temperatures as residents woke up to bright sunshine on Saturday, even as the region's air quality continued to remain in the 'poor' category.

Daytime temperatures in the national Capital have been steadily climbing under clear and sunny conditions.

Earlier on Friday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature that was 1.5 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, indicating the beginning of a slow transition in weather patterns, according to data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The weather department has predicted that similar conditions will prevail on Saturday as well. Wind speeds are expected to range between 15 and 25 kilometres per hour during the day.

The maximum temperature is likely to remain between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is expected to range between 9 and 11 degrees Celsius.

The IMD also indicated that haze during the early hours of the morning is likely to continue, but it is expected to gradually dissipate as the day progresses, allowing bright sunshine to dominate weather conditions once again.

Despite the pleasant daytime weather, air quality across Delhi remained a concern, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 260, which falls under the 'poor' category.

Burari recorded an AQI of 202, Anand Vihar reported 260, Chandni Chowk recorded 232, DTU registered 204, Dwarka Sector-8 measured 243, ITO recorded 223, and Okhla Phase-2 reported an AQI of 228, among other areas reflecting deteriorating air quality levels.

Meanwhile, in a move aimed at transforming urban mobility in the national Capital, the Delhi government has constituted a task force to draft a Bill proposing the creation of a Delhi Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (DUMTA), along with establishing a dedicated Delhi Urban Transport Fund (DUTF).

According to a statement issued by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's office, the proposed legislation aims to streamline, integrate and coordinate Delhi's currently fragmented transport network under a unified planning and governance framework.

The initiative is being seen as a significant step towards achieving the government's broader vision of building a modern, efficient, people-centric and environmentally sustainable transport system for the national Capital.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally some good sunshine! ☀️ Makes the morning commute a bit more bearable. But seeing the AQI numbers for Anand Vihar and ITO is so disheartening. We get a little warmth and have to trade it for bad air. This cycle needs to break.
R
Rohit P
DUMTA sounds promising on paper. Delhi's transport is a mess with DTC, metro, autos, and cabs all running separately. If they can actually integrate fares and routes, it would be a game-changer. But execution is everything. We've seen big ideas fail before.
M
Meera T
The haze in the morning is the worst. You step out feeling optimistic with the sun, but you can literally *see* the poor air quality. My child's school has started keeping them indoors for morning assembly again. When will we have a winter where the air is clean?
D
David E
Living in Dwarka, the AQI here is 243. It's frustrating. The transport fund is a good idea, but it must prioritize electric buses and cycling infrastructure. We need sustainable solutions, not just another administrative body.
S
Sneha F
Bright sunshine but 'poor' air... story of every Delhi winter/spring transition. At least the day is pleasant. Hope the new transport authority actually leads to fewer private vehicles on the road. That's the only way to make a dent in these AQI numbers.

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