Delhiites beathed it better on December 4, with the AQI falling below 200 for the first time in 50 days, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board.
The national capital’s air quality index read 178, hitting a 53-day low, compared with a reading of 268 on the previous day and over 300 a week ago.
AQI levels between 101 and 200 are defined as moderate air quality.
Among the metros, Kolkata had the worst air quality with AQI level above 200, while other metros had moderate and satisfactory air quality.
Mumbai was the only other city with an AQI of above 100 (139), while Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad all had AQI levels below 100.
Chennai had an AQI of 45, characterised as good quality air, while Bengaluru had AQI of 54. Hyderabad’s AQI was 61 on December 4.
The number of cities with good air quality rose to 34 of 13.7 percent of 249 cities which reported data on December 4, while the number of cities reporting poor air quality fell to 12 percent.
Hajipur in Bihar had the worst air quality with an AQI of 345, while Belgaum in Karnataka had good air quality with an AQI of 25.
Among the international destinations, New York with an AQI of 41 had better air quality than 230 Indian cities, London’s air (58 AQI) was better than 199 Indian cities, while Beijing’s AQI was an improvement over 194 Indian cities.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
