Delhi chokes again as AQI hits 344; four areas slip into ‘severe’ zone

Delhi woke up to another day of suffocating smog on Tuesday, with the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 344, firmly in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Out of the 37 monitoring stations across the national capital, four recorded alarming ‘severe’ levels of pollution. Bawana reported an AQI of 426, Wazirpur 412, Jahangirpuri 418 and Vivek Vihar 402, indicating hazardous breathing conditions for residents in these areas.

Forecasts suggest that the city is unlikely to see immediate relief, with air quality expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ bracket over the next few days.

As per CPCB classification, an AQI of 0–50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’