Delhi's air quality has deteriorated significantly, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing the 400 mark, placing the national capital in the "red zone". On Saturday, the 24-hour average AQI was reported at 361, making Delhi the second most polluted city in India, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Several areas in the city recorded alarming pollution levels, including Wazirpur at 420, Burari at 418, and Vivek Vihar at 411, all classified as "severe". Other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) also reported poor air quality, with Noida at 354, Greater Noida at 336, and Ghaziabad at 339, indicating a widespread smog crisis.

The air quality has been consistently poor since Diwali, fluctuating between "poor" and "very poor" levels, with occasional spikes into the "severe" category. The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecasted that this trend will continue in the coming days.

Despite the alarming levels, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage 3 has not yet been implemented. Officials from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) noted that this November's air quality has been better than the same period last year, attributing the improvement to coordinated efforts across various departments. These efforts include enhanced dust control, road cleaning, anti-smog operations, and stricter regulations on vehicle and industrial emissions.

An official stated, "Out of the last seven days, six have recorded better air quality than the corresponding days last year. This has been possible because of timely and coordinated action taken across departments." Last year, GRAP Stage 3 was enforced on November 13, but officials are hopeful that with continued cooperation from all sectors, they can avoid reaching that stage this year.