New Delhi: A thick layer of fog engulfed over large parts of Delhi on Saturday (January 17), reducing the visibility drastically. Air quality in the national capital also continued to remain in the ‘very
poor’ category with a recorded AQI of 368, a slight jump from the 354 AQI recorded on Friday.
The AQI increased a day after Stage 3 of the Graded Action Response Plan (GRAP) was reimposed in the national capital region as a proactive measure to deal with the further deterioration of the air quality.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), several areas in Delhi recorded the AQI above 350. As per the data provided by the CPCB, Anand Vihar recorded the AQI of 350, Ashok Vihar at 385 AQI and Burari Crossing at 360.
Meanwhile, Chandni Chowk and ITO recorded the AQI over 400. The AQI of Chandni Chowk stood at 427, ITO at 405, Vivek Vihar at 420 and Patparganj at 433.
Delhi’s IGI airport too had its AQI in the ‘very poor’ category at 304 AQI, whereas the college area of IIT Delhi also recorded 313 AQI.
Several flight operations have been disrupted due to the dense fog around the airport area. Rail and road traffic was also hampered amid low visibility.
Sportspersons also raised concerns about the air quality conditions in the context of the ongoing sports tournament. Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen had withdrawn from the badminton tournament India Open 2026, citing the severe air pollution.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted cold wave conditions over Delhi and other parts of north and northwestern India over the next few days. The weather is expected to remain dry with no rainfall expected during this period.
From Sunday, minimum temperatures are likely to rise, giving some relief from the extreme cold conditions.
