[Watch] Delhi’s Air Quality Turns ‘Severe’ For First Time This Season, AQI At 418

New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality turned ‘severe’ for the first time this season on Wednesday, with the AQI soaring to 418.

In comparison, the national capital’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) — recorded at 4 pm every day stood at 334 on Tuesday, according to PTI.

At 9 am on Wednesday, the air quality was ‘very poor’ with a reading of 366.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, 401 and 450 ‘severe’ and above 450 ‘severe plus’.

Of the 36 monitoring stations in Delhi, 30 reported air quality in the ‘severe’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to a thick blanket of smog, which reduced visibility significantly.

“Due to dense fog resulting in low visibility at Delhi Airport (IGI), 8 flights were diverted since 7 AM. Seven to Jaipur and one to Lucknow,” Airport sources told News18.

Fog also impacted rail traffic due to limited visibility. “Loco Pilots approaching Delhi are maintaining speed restrictions,” Railway sources said.