Delhi recorded the highest number of ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ air quality days in 2024, marking the best performance in the past six years, according to data from monitoring agencies.

A total of 207 days saw the Air Quality Index (AQI) remain below 200, indicating ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ air quality. December alone has already seen six ‘moderate’ air quality days, surpassing records from the past six years. However, the month has also experienced eight ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ air quality days, highlighting fluctuations in the air quality.

The AQI scale categorizes air quality as follows: 0-50 is good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, 401-450 is severe, and above 450 is severe-plus.

Residents have noticed an improvement in air quality, with some commenting on the clearer visibility in recent days compared to weeks of poor air quality.

Despite the improvement, Delhi’s air quality reached the ‘severe-plus’ category after Diwali, prompting the authorities to implement the fourth stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This included transitioning schools to online classes, banning older diesel vehicles, and halting construction activities in the city.

On December 5, the Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to relax the GRAP stage IV restrictions as air quality improved. Since then, the AQI has fluctuated between the ‘poor’ and ‘moderate’ categories.

As of today, the AQI in Delhi was recorded in the ‘poor’ category, with a reading of 246, while it was measured at 212 on Saturday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).