Delhi AQI Rises as 12 Areas Cross 200 Mark

Home Breaking News Delhi AQI Rises Sharply as 12 Areas Enter Poor Category Breaking News Delhi AQI Rises Sharply as 12 Areas Enter Poor Category By Urban Acres October 18, 2026 0 Copy URL Facebook Linkedin X WhatsApp Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply within 24 hours, with the city’s average Air Quality Index rising from 90 to 159 and 12 areas crossing the AQI 200 mark on Saturday evening, according to a report by Live Hindustan – NCR. The affected locations include residential neighbourhoods and areas with heavy traffic.

An AQI of 159 falls in the moderate category, while readings above 200 are classified as poor. The deterioration followed a brief improvement after strong winds and rain affected Delhi and large parts of north India on Thursday. The rainfall brought down temperatures and temporarily reduced pollution levels, but the improvement did not last.

The report attributed the renewed rise partly to low soil moisture after below-normal rainfall in September. Drier ground conditions can leave more dust available for resuspension, particularly in areas exposed to traffic and construction activity. Light spells of rain have provided short-term relief, but pollution levels have risen again soon after those episodes.