With winter approaching, Delhi is bracing for another season of worsening air quality, as pollution levels are expected to rise in the coming weeks. On Wednesday morning, a thin layer of smog enveloped the national capital, with poor visibility and air quality adding to the concerns as mercury levels dropped.
The development unfolds a day after Dussehra celebrations across the city. Meanwhile, stubble burning in neighbouring states, including Punjab and Haryana, remains a key concern as Delhi prepares for the winter pollution season.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS), Delhi’s air quality was expected to dip to the ‘poor’ category from Wednesday, October 21, and remain there until Friday, October 23.
Visuals from Delhi’s
iconic India Gate showed people jogging and briskly walking along the road, despite a thin layer of haze hanging over the skies.
VIDEO | Delhi: A layer of haze covers parts of the capital city. Morning visuals from India Gate, Kartavya Path areas.
#DelhiWeather #WeatherUpdate
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/1tXkV7y0MI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 21, 2026
On Tuesday, October 20, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi fell into the ‘moderate’ category with a reading of 179.
Meanwhile, station-level readings showed that several parts of the capital had already dropped to the ‘poor’ category by early Wednesday.
At midnight, the AQI was recorded at 273 in Bawana, 262 in Dwarka Sector 8, 248 at Delhi Technological University, and 230 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.
Dussehra Celebrations In Delhi
The deteriorating air quality in Delhi follows Dussehra celebrations a day earlier, when effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna, and Meghnad were burned. Fireworks at several places were also held on the occasion, adding to the concerns surrounding the air quality of the city.
It is, however, unclear how much Dussehra activities contributed to the haze this morning. The celebrations coincided with the seasonal deterioration in air quality that affects Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
