Delhi AQI Today: Among the monitoring stations, IIT Delhi recorded an AQI of 412, placing it in the ‘severe’ category.
Delhi AQI Today: A thick layer of smog continued to engulf Delhi on Thursday morning as the national capital recorded an average AQI of 314, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to CPCB data. IIT Delhi was among the worst-affected monitoring locations, with its AQI touching 412, in the ‘severe’ category.
NSUT, Jaffarpur and ITO each reported an AQI of 394, while Chandni Chowk recorded 388 and North Campus 392.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida recorded an AQI of 284, Gurugram 300, Ghaziabad 280 and Faridabad 270.
Delhi Pollution After Diwali: AQI Remains Very Poor As BJP-AAP Blame Game Continues
The pollution situation has remained a concern even days after Diwali, with the national capital continuing to record high AQI levels. The latest readings shared from the monitoring dashboard show Delhi’s average AQI at 319 on Thursday morning, keeping it in the ‘very poor’ category.
Among the monitoring stations, IIT Delhi recorded an AQI of 412, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. NSUT, Jaffarpur and ITO reported 394 each, while North Campus recorded 392 and Chandni Chowk 388.
The situation was also concerning across the NCR. Noida recorded an AQI of 284, Gurugram 300, Ghaziabad 280 and Faridabad 270.
How Was Delhi’s Air Quality Before And After Diwali?
Delhi’s air quality had already started deteriorating before the festival. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that the average PM2.5 concentration during the week before Diwali stood at 236 micrograms per cubic metre, the highest for the corresponding period in three years. This was 97% higher than the 120 micrograms recorded in 2025 and 32% above the 179 micrograms reported in 2024.
The situation worsened around Diwali. Delhi’s average AQI was 376 on November 8, compared with 345 on Diwali in 2025. It subsequently remained in the ‘very poor’ category, recording 344 on November 9 and 299 on November 10, before rising to 313 on November 11, according to reported CPCB figures.
Firecrackers added to the pollution burden. Real-time source analysis reported that they contributed 7.4% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Wednesday, November 11.
Why Are BJP And AAP Blaming Each Other For Delhi’s Pollution?
The worsening air quality has also triggered a political confrontation between the BJP and AAP.
Delhi BJP minister Kapil Mishra accused Punjab, which is governed by AAP, of contributing to the pollution crisis through stubble burning. He alleged that there had been a sudden rise in farm fires around Diwali and called for an investigation into the incidents. BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal also accused AAP of a conspiracy to keep pollution levels high in Delhi. These remain political allegations.