Dense fog, toxic smog blanket Delhi; AQI stays ‘severe’, GRAP-IV curbs in force

The poor visibility disrupted transport services, with officials confirming delays to a few flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

• Delhi's AQI hit 418, prompting strict GRAP-IV pollution curbs
• Dense fog and smog disrupted flights and reduced visibility across Delhi
• Cold wave and severe pollution persist, with marginal relief expected later

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A thick blanket of fog and toxic smog enveloped Delhi on Monday, sharply reducing visibility across large parts of the national capital as air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category, prompting the enforcement of the strictest pollution curbs under GRAP-IV.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 418 on Monday morning. Several hotspots reported even worse readings, with ITO at 434 and areas around Rafi Marg at 417, both firmly in the ‘severe’ zone. Near AIIMS, AQI levels hovered between 443 and 447.

Dense fog lingered through the morning hours at multiple locations, including ITO and Rafi Marg, amid prevailing cold wave conditions. The poor visibility disrupted transport services, with officials confirming delays to a few flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Passengers were advised to check flight schedules before travelling.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Delhi-NCR is likely to witness a partly cloudy sky, with moderate fog at several places and dense fog at isolated locations during morning hours. Minimum temperatures are expected to range between 7 and 9 degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures may remain unusually high at 24–26 degrees Celsius. Northeasterly winds are forecast to remain light.

The pollution crisis deepened over the weekend, with Delhi recording its most polluted January day in two years. The AQI touched 440 at 4 pm on Sunday, the highest for the month and the worst in the second half of January since 2019.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Saturday evening after AQI levels crossed the 400 mark for the first time this year. GRAP-IV includes the strictest measures, such as bans on construction activities and restrictions on vehicle movement.

Weather conditions may offer marginal relief, with forecasts indicating a possible improvement to the ‘very poor’ category later on Monday.

Elsewhere in the country, cold wave conditions continued to prevail. In Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, residents lit bonfires as minimum temperatures were expected to drop to around 8 degrees Celsius. Agra witnessed a thin layer of fog around the Taj Mahal.

In Jammu and Kashmir, temperatures plunged below freezing in several areas. Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 4.7 degrees Celsius, though tourists continued to throng Dal Lake. Mount Abu in Rajasthan reported temperatures as low as minus 5 degrees Celsius, with locals citing unusually intense cold for January.

As per CPCB norms, AQI readings between 401 and 500 are classified as ‘severe’, posing serious health risks. Delhi’s air quality downturn comes weeks after the Supreme Court pulled up the CAQM for failing to clearly identify pollution sources in the NCR, directing the body to complete a source-apportionment study and make its findings public.

Cold wave and pollution conditions are expected to persist, keeping authorities and residents on high alert.