Delhi was choked more severely on October 27 with the air quality index at the national capital rising above 300, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board.
Delhi's AQI shot off to 356 from 255 in one day, reaching the second highest reading this month. On October 23, it had fallen to 364. An AQI above 300 means 'very poor' air quality, while the 0-50 range is signified by good air quality.
Besides Delhi, four other cities, three of them surrounding the national capital, had an AQI of over 300. Ghaziabad's AQI was 324, Greater Noida’s 312, and Amritsar’s 310. On the other end of the spectrum, Varanasi stood at 35.
Among 253 Indian cities, 10.7 percent experienced 'poor' air quality, while 2 percent had 'very poor' rating. Another 95, or 37.6 percent, had 'moderate' air quality, while only 46, or 18 percent, read 'good' on the index.
There has been a worsening of air quality among the metro cities. Mumbai recorded the fourth straight day of over 100 AQI, with air quality falling to its worst level since the start of the month. Chennai’s AQI, at 119, was also the worst since October. Bengaluru has also faced two consecutive days of over 100 AQI readings.
Kolkata and Hyderabad, on the other hand, had AQI levels of below 100.
Gandhinagar, which hosts the GIFT city, had an AQI of 164 and has witnessed three consecutive days of over 100 AQI.
Among the international cities, London had an AQI of 51, New York 27, and Beijing had an AQI of 38.
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!
