A thick blanket of smog is hovering over two metropolitan cities, Delhi and Mumbai, as the air quality dipped amid cold wave conditions. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 386 in the ‘very poor’ category for the second consecutive day on Sunday morning, while in Mumbai, it was 176 in the ‘moderate’ category.

An AQI between 0 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.

Delhi air quality

Delhi has been yet again witnessing deteriorating air quality this week, forcing authorities to re-impose the fourth and last stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under this, all schools are shifted online and a ban is imposed on Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles. All the construction activities in the national capital are also halted.

On Monday, Delhi’s AQI breached the 400 mark and dipped into the ‘severe plus’ category. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the smoggy conditions may persist for a few more days as the cold wave in the national capital is intensifying.

The AQI on Saturday stood at 370 in the ‘very poor’ category, with the visibility dropping in the national capital. The Delhi Airport also issued an advisory for passengers saying, “Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”

Update issued at 07:20 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!#Fog#FogAlert#DelhiAirportpic.twitter.com/0AWazsi9y8

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) December 21, 2024

Mumbai air quality 

Mumbai has been witnessing its coldest winters in decades, pushing its air quality down. For the fourth consecutive day, the city was shrouded in a blanket of smog with the overall AQI touching 176. Earlier this week, the AQI also touched 199 in the ‘poor’ category.

Several citizens posted videos and pictures on social media showing the worsening air quality in Mumbai.

What’s with Mumbai. Pollution or fog. It was the same yesterday..#mumbaiweatherpic.twitter.com/mYzwdquGou

— Manda Bendre (@mabend2) December 21, 2024

Some visuals also showed the Bandra-Worli Sea Link vanished due to the smog.

New Delhi:

Delhi and Mumbai were covered in dense smog this morning as the air quality worsened in the two metro cities. The air quality index (AQI) stood at 335 in Delhi at 8 am – in the “very poor category”, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The government’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) website advised people to avoid outdoor activities in the early morning and after sunset.

#WATCH | Parts of Delhi remain covered in a thin layer of haze as the air quality remains in ‘Very Poor’ quality as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Visuals from Mayur Vihar.

(Drone visuals shot around 9 am) pic.twitter.com/0uiHOHC9nW

— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2024

Several areas in the national capital recorded AQI above 350 – including Bawana 383, Mundka at 358, New Moti Bagh at 394, RK Puram at 368 and Wazirpur at 366, according to SAFAR.

The Kartavya Path in central Delhi as well as the high-rise buildings in Kalindi Kunj and nearby areas were covered in smog. Authorities are sprinkling water using anti-smog guns to bring down the pollution levels, visuals showed from the city’s Ashoka Road.

In Agra, about 240 km from Delhi, the AQI remained within the ‘satisfactory’ level, but a layer of haze engulfed the iconic Taj Mahal, offering a mere glimpse to the tourists.

An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered “moderate”, 200-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, 401-450 “severe”, and “severe plus” above 450.

The air quality in Mumbai was recorded in the “moderate” category (AQI 139) this morning.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: A layer of smog envelops Mumbai. Visuals from Bandra Reclamation. pic.twitter.com/nowtbLpkm1

— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2024

Nanadeep Garden recorded the most polluted air at AQI 306, followed by Kandivali West with an AQI of 222. Bhandup, Colaba, Chembur, Bandra Kurla Complex, and Byculla are among the areas that recorded air quality in the moderate category.

Fireworks on display after India won the match against England in the ODI World Cup 2023 at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. There will be no fireworks display for the remaining matches in Delhi and Mumbai.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The BCCI has banned the display of fireworks during the remaining World Cup games in Delhi and Mumbai due to worsening air quality in the two mega cities.

Delhi has only one match left to host, the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game on November 6, while Mumbai are scheduled to host two more league games, on November 2 and November 7, and the semifinal on November 15.

“BCCI is sensitive to environmental concerns. I took up the matter formally with the ICC and there won’t be any fireworks display in Mumbai, which can add to the pollution level,” said BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a statement on Wednesday.

“The Board is committed to combating environmental issues and will always place the interest of our fans and stakeholders at the forefront. The BCCI acknowledges the urgent concern surrounding air quality in both Mumbai and New Delhi.

“While we strive to host the ICC World Cup in a manner befitting the celebration of cricket, we remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritising the health and safety of all our stakeholders.”

Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday with an air quality index (AQI) of 372.

The pollution situation has been alarming in Mumbai also.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday expressed concern over the “deteriorating” air quality index in Mumbai while taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the issue.