New Delhi: The national capital witnessed a marginal improvement in air quality on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 221, placing it in the ‘poor’
category. A thin blanket of fog, however, continued to hover over parts of the capital.
This marks the third straight day of relatively cleaner air for Delhi, offering short-term relief after the city battled extremely hazardous conditions earlier in the week. On Tuesday, the AQI had surged to a worrying 412, categorised as ‘severe’, triggering strict pollution-control measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV.
#WATCH | Delhi | Visuals around AIIMS as a layer of smog engulfs the national capital.
AQI (Air Quality Index) around the area is 117, categorised as ‘moderate’, as claimed by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board). pic.twitter.com/ELJ2h5iWc7
— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2025
Pollution levels varied across the city, with the ITO area recording an AQI of 314, categorised as ‘very poor’, while the AIIMS region saw relatively better air at 117, falling under the ‘moderate’ category.
According to pollution monitoring agencies, the recent improvement can be attributed to strong surface winds and favourable meteorological conditions, which helped disperse pollutants accumulated over the past several weeks. Despite the dip, air quality remains below safe limits and health experts continue to urge caution, particularly for children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments.
#WATCH | Delhi | Visuals around the ITO area as a layer of smog engulfs the national capital.
AQI (Air Quality Index) around the area is 314, categorised as ‘very poor’, as claimed by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board). pic.twitter.com/mK1UzgNjOh
— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2025
Neighbouring cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) also experienced a similar decline in pollution levels. Noida recorded an AQI of 226, Ghaziabad stood at 242, while Gurugram registered 205, all falling within the ‘poor’ air quality bracket.
As per the Central Pollution Control Board’s classification, AQI readings between 201 and 300 are labelled ‘poor’, while levels above 400 are considered ‘severe’.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a minimum temperature of around 8 degrees Celsius on Friday, along with moderate fog during morning hours.
