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Delhi's Air Quality Worsens to 368 AQI, GRAP Stage 3 Reimposed

Delhi's air quality persisted in the 'very poor' category with an AQI of 368, leading authorities to reimpose Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan. Several areas, including Chandni Chowk and ITO, recorded AQI levels above 400, placing them in the 'severe' category. The pollution has impacted sports, with Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen withdrawing from the India Open tournament. Dense fog also reduced visibility across the region, affecting flights, though temperatures saw a slight rise.

Key Points: Delhi AQI at 368, GRAP Stage 3 Reimposed Amid Pollution

  • AQI at 368 in 'very poor' category
  • GRAP Stage 3 restrictions reimposed
  • Chandni Chowk and ITO in 'severe' zone
  • Shuttler withdraws citing pollution
2 min read

Delhi NCR's air quality persists to be 'very poor' at 368 AQI; GRAP 3 reimposed

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' at 368 AQI, prompting GRAP Stage 3 restrictions. Areas like Chandni Chowk hit 'severe' levels.

"He hopes New Delhi's air quality will improve later this year - Anders Antonsen"

New Delhi, January 17

Delhi's air quality persisted in the 'very poor' category on Saturday with a recorded AQI of 368, a slight jump from the 354 AQI recorded on Friday. The slight jump comes a day after stage 3 of the Graded Action Response Plan was reimposed in the national capital region as a proactive measure to deal with the further deterioration of the air quality.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), multiple areas recorded their AQI above 350. With Anand Vihar recording 350 AQI, Ashok Vihar at 385 AQI, Burari crossing at 360 all stayed in the 'very poor' category.

Meanwhile, Chandani Chowk and ITO fared a bit worse, recording an AQI of 427 and 405, respectively, being in the 'severe' category.

Delhi's IGI airport too had recorded its AQI in the 'very poor' category at 304 AQI. Whereas the college area of IIT Delhi also recorded 313 AQI.

The deteriorating air quality in Chandani chowk and ITO comes amid sportspersons raising concerns about the conditions for their sports tournament. Danish shuttler, Anders Antonsen, had withdrawn from the badminton tournament India Open 2026, citing the severe air pollution. Anders said he hopes New Delhi's air quality will improve later this year, when the national capital will host the BWF World Championships.

Meanwhile, visibility has been affected across the region as cold wave conditions continued to prevail in the national capital and dense fog enveloped large parts of the city. The dense fog around the airport area also led to certain flight delays due to the reduced visibility.

However, there has been a slight improvement in minimum temperature, which stood at 7 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, compared to 4 degrees Celsius recorded on Friday.

In view of the air quality, a nine-point action plan as per Stage-III of the extant GRAP is applicable with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. The nine-point action plan includes steps to be implemented/ ensured by different agencies, including the Pollution Control Boards of NCR and DPCC.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Chandni Chowk at 427 AQI is terrifying. I live nearby and the smog is so thick you can literally taste it. It's a health emergency, not just 'very poor' air. We need stricter action on stubble burning from neighbouring states.
A
Aman W
The fact that a top athlete had to withdraw from India Open is a huge embarrassment for us on the global stage. What message are we sending before the World Championships? We need to fix this, and fast.
S
Sarah B
I just moved to Delhi for work from Canada, and the air quality is the biggest shock. My company provided air purifiers, but you can't live in a bubble. The government's nine-point plan sounds good on paper, but will it be implemented properly?
V
Vikram M
While GRAP is necessary, it's a reactive measure. We need massive investment in public transport and clean energy. Also, the slight temp rise might help disperse some fog, but the pollutants are still there. Long-term vision is missing.
K
Kavya N
My father's asthma has worsened so much this season. The doctor's bills are piling up. It's a direct cost of this pollution that common people are bearing. When will our health be the top priority?

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