Double blow of Pollution and Fog in Delhi-NCR, AQI crosses 450; visibility drops to zero
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Winter conditions in the National Capital Region (NCR) have turned extremely severe due to a combined impact of rising pollution levels and dense fog. Authorities have issued warnings for very dense fog for two consecutive days, while the Air Quality Index (AQI) has crossed 450 in several areas. Late at night, visibility dropped to zero at many locations, badly affecting road, rail, and air traffic.
According to air quality monitoring data from Delhi, AQI levels were recorded at 451 in Anand Vihar, 433 in Ashok Vihar, 446 in Rohini, 449 in Wazirpur, and 432 in Chandni Chowk. These readings fall under the “severe” pollution category.
Other monitoring stations also reported alarming figures. AQI stood at 411 in DTU Delhi, 410 in Siri Fort, 401 in Shadipur, 426 in Punjabi Bagh, and 421 in Sonia Vihar. Bawana recorded an AQI of 368, Alipur 379, and Vivek Vihar 380, all indicating extremely poor air quality that poses serious health risks.
Pollution levels in Noida and Ghaziabad remained equally concerning. In Noida, AQI was recorded at 433 in Sector-1, 388 in Sector-125 and Sector-116, and 372 in Sector-62. In Ghaziabad, Vasundhara witnessed AQI touching 459, while Sanjay Nagar recorded 393, Indirapuram 382, and Loni 360. These figures show that the entire NCR remains under the grip of severe pollution.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), very dense fog is expected during morning hours on December 30, with dense fog persisting till afternoon. The maximum temperature remained around 21 degrees Celsius, while the minimum dropped to 8 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels reached up to 100 percent. A similar fog warning has been issued for the morning of December 31. However, light rain or drizzle is likely on January 1, which may provide some relief from pollution and fog.
Due to dense fog, vehicle movement slowed significantly, especially on highways. Traffic congestion was reported at several places, and the risk of road accidents increased sharply.