NEW DELHI: Delhi woke up under a thick, choking haze on Tuesday as the city’s air quality index (AQI) shot up to 428, officially tipping into the “severe” category for the first time this year. Authorities have invoked GRAP Stage III in the NCR.
An AQI between 401 and 500 can affect even healthy individuals and poses serious risks for those with asthma, heart disease, or other respiratory issues. The toxic blanket dimmed the Delhi skyline, stung the eyes, and left residents coughing as they went about their morning routines.
Several monitoring stations recorded numbers well past 400. Bawana (462), RK Puram (446), Alipur (442), and Patparganj (438) were among the worst-hit. Inner-city areas such as Chandni Chowk (416), Anand Vihar (412), and Sonia Vihar (433) also registered “severe” readings.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed a sharp deterioration overnight. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) responded by invoking Stage III of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The restrictions, effective immediately, ban non-essential construction and demolition work, shut down stone crushers and mining sites, and bar the use of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles—except those used by persons with disabilities. Schools have been told to switch to online or hybrid classes up to Class V.