New Delhi: The national capital woke up to yet another day of hazardous air, with the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 359 on Saturday morning — firmly in the ‘very poor’ bracket. Data from the Air Quality Early Warning System showed only a marginal improvement from Friday’s average AQI of 364, offering little relief as a thick layer of smog continued to cling to Delhi’s skyline.
Commuters in central Delhi’s ITO area navigated through dense haze, where the AQI touched 370. In the neighbouring satellite city of Noida, conditions remained even more dangerous. Sector 125 recorded an AQI of 434, placing it in the ‘severe’ category despite a slight dip from the previous day.
Greater Noida, meanwhile, showed mixed readings. Knowledge Park 5 registered an AQI of 393, while Knowledge Park 3 reported a relatively better — though still unhealthy — AQI of 294, falling under the ‘poor’ category.
Residents across the NCR blamed the persistent pollution on the spiralling number of vehicles. One resident from Punjabi Bagh expressed frustration over the congestion and emissions: “The buses, cars, which are increasing day by day, and that there is no way for the cars to fit on the roads, that’s how many there are, so pollution is increasing. There should be some control on the vehicles.”
