Air quality crosses 400 in several areas as haze envelops Delhi-NCR

The smog-laden skies over Delhi-NCR grew heavier on Monday, 3 November, as the region once again found itself gasping beneath a thick veil of pollution. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) breached the “severe” category across several pockets of Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad — turning the air dense, acrid, and dangerous.

In the capital, Alipur’s AQI soared to 420, with Anand Vihar close behind at 403, while Ashok Vihar, Bawana, and Burari Crossing all hovered near the 400 mark — a grim reflection of the city’s struggle to breathe. Across the Yamuna, Noida too wore a grey shroud: Sector 125 recorded 345, Sector 116 at 357, and Sector 62 at 323, all firmly lodged in the “very poor” bracket. The picture in Ghaziabad was even bleaker — Loni choked at 420, Vasundhara at 389, Sanjay Nagar at 360, and Indirapuram at 334. Together, the numbers painted a stark portrait of an urban sprawl gasping in unison.

Experts have sounded the alarm, warning that prolonged exposure to such toxic air can worsen respiratory ailments, irritate the eyes, and heighten the risk of lung infections. Children, the elderly, and asthma patients have been urged to take utmost care — to stay indoors when possible, and to wear masks if they must step out.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) offered a faint glimmer of hope in an otherwise suffocating forecast. Temperatures across the NCR are expected to dip gradually over the week — with Noida’s mercury sliding from 29°C to 27°C in the daytime, and from 19°C to 15°C at night between November 4 and 9. A light drizzle is also on the cards for Tuesday or Wednesday, which, along with a shift in wind direction, could bring a slight respite from the haze.

In Delhi, Monday’s maximum temperature stood at 31.5°C — a notch above normal — while the night minimum dipped to 17.2°C, two degrees below average. Forecasters predict that the coming days will bring mild coolness, with daytime temperatures ranging between 28°C and 30°C, and the mercury likely to fall below 15°C by Thursday as north-westerly winds pick up pace.

For now, though, the city remains shrouded in smog — its skyline blurred, its mornings heavy, and its evenings thick with the weight of a season that arrives not with rain or bloom, but with the sting of smoke.

With IANS inputs