Clear Skies, Toxic Air: Delhi Wakes Up to Sunshine but ‘Very Poor’ AQI as GRAP Stage 3 Curbs Continue

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22nd Nov: Delhi’s residents stepped out to a crisp and sunny Saturday morning, but the weather offered little relief from the capital’s most persistent winter menace — pollution. Despite clearer skies, stagnant air kept the city locked in a “very poor” air quality zone, as particulate matter settled low over the landscape.

Around 10 am, Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 11.8°C, marginally higher than usual for this time of the year. The reading was 0.5 degrees above normal, and 0.6 degrees higher than Friday, signalling the typical late-November dip, but not yet the peak winter chill. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts minimum temperatures between 9°C and 11°C over the next few days, suggesting colder days ahead while pollution levels remain a pressing concern.

While the sun controlled the chill, the air remained worryingly toxic. By 10 am, Delhi’s 24-hour rolling average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 361, firmly in the “very poor” category and inching close to the “severe” band. This was only slightly lower than the AQI of 364 recorded on Friday evening, highlighting that pollution levels continue to hover near hazardous thresholds.

With contamination refusing to ease, Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remains enforced across the city. Under this phase, non-essential construction and demolition activities are banned, and restrictions are placed on vehicles not compliant with Bharat Stage (BS)-IV emission standards. Authorities have advised residents — especially senior citizens, children and those with respiratory conditions — to limit outdoor activity, especially during early morning and late evening hours when pollution concentration peaks.

The impact is also being felt across educational institutions. On Friday, the Delhi government instructed schools and colleges to stop outdoor sports and physical activities, placing student safety above routine curriculum.

Meanwhile, frustration over pollution control efforts dominated the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) standing committee meeting held on Wednesday. Members across political parties condemned the civic body’s performance in containing dust pollution, particularly from damaged roads, unmanaged construction debris and inconsistent mechanical road cleaning. Multiple councillors claimed that GRAP norms were being openly violated, undermining the very measures meant to safeguard public health.

As Delhi braces for deeper winter and even more stagnant winds, environmental experts warn that the coming weeks could be critical. With air quality consistently bordering the “severe” zone, rigorous enforcement of restrictions — and public cooperation — may decide whether the situation stabilises or worsens.

For now, Delhi continues to live in two realities: a bright sun in the sky and a thick veil of pollution in the air.