NewKerala.com

Delhi AQI Improves to 297 After Rain, Thunderstorm Brings Relief

Light rain and a thunderstorm in Delhi on Friday led to a marginal improvement in air quality, with the AQI recorded at 297 in the 'poor' category. This marks an improvement from Thursday's 'very poor' AQI of 312, though several areas like Wazirpur and Bawana still recorded readings above 330. The Commission for Air Quality Management revoked all Stage III GRAP actions across Delhi-NCR due to the improving trend and forecasts. The city's temperature was around 16.4 degrees Celsius, with rainfall also reported in parts of Jammu.

Key Points: Delhi Air Quality Improves to 297 After Rain, Thunderstorm

  • AQI improved from 'very poor' to 'poor'
  • Light rain and thunderstorm hit the capital
  • GRAP Stage III actions revoked
  • Several areas still recorded high AQI
  • Temperature was around 16.4°C
2 min read

Light rain, thunderstorm bring slight relief as Delhi's air quality improves, AQI stands at 297

Delhi's AQI improved to 'poor' category at 297 after light rain and a thunderstorm. GRAP Stage III actions revoked as air quality shows downward trend.

"The Sub-Committee had invoked Stage III of GRAP on 16.01.2026, following a deterioration in Delhi's average AQI. - Ministry of Environment"

New Delhi, January 23

Light rain and a thunderstorm in the national capital on Friday brought slight relief from pollution as the air quality remained in the "poor" category, with the AQI recorded at 297 at 7 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

There was a marginal improvement compared to Thursday morning, when the AQI was in the 'very poor' category at 312.

Several parts of the national capital continued to experience poor air quality, with Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 317, Ashok Vihar 335, Wazirpur 351, Punjabi Bagh 326, RK Puram 315, Bawana 342, ITO 266, Chandni Chowk 326, and Dwarka Sector 8 at 316, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Meanwhile, the temperature in the city was around 16.4 degrees Celsius at 7 am, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

As per AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.

Several parts of Jammu also witnessed rainfall, with chilly weather conditions prevailing across the city.

A day earlier, the Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked all Stage III actions across Delhi-NCR with immediate effect January 22, in view of the improvement in air quality and forecast trends.

A statement from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change read: "The Sub-Committee had invoked Stage III of GRAP on 16.01.2026, following a deterioration in Delhi's average AQI." Subsequently, Delhi's air quality showed a downward trend. As per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the average AQI improved from 378 on 20.01.2026 to 330 on 21.01.2026 and 322 on 21.01.2026. In view of this improving trend and based on air quality and meteorological forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the CAQM Sub-Committee met today to review the situation.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Wazirpur at 351 and Bawana at 342? That's still very poor. My child's school is near one of these areas and they've had to cancel outdoor activities again this week. When will our authorities get serious about enforcing pollution norms for industries?
D
David E
As someone who moved to Delhi for work, the air quality is a constant health concern. It's good to see the AQI improving, but moving from 'very poor' to just 'poor' isn't exactly a victory. The GRAP actions should be more proactive, not reactive.
A
Ananya R
The rain was a blessing! My mother's asthma has been terrible this month. Even a small improvement helps. But I agree with others - this is temporary. We need to address stubble burning in neighboring states and improve public transport. Jai Hind!
S
Siddharth J
Revoking Stage III actions seems premature. The AQI is still hazardous for sensitive groups. One day of slight improvement shouldn't lead to relaxing measures. We've seen this pattern before - a little rain, authorities declare victory, and then we're back to severe levels in a week.
K
Kavya N
Chandni Chowk at 326... such a historic area, but the air is so bad. Tourists must be shocked. We need to promote electric vehicles in the old city and control the traffic chaos. The rain helps, but it's not a solution. 🙏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50