New Delhi: Air quality across the national capital continued to deteriorate, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) slipping into the ‘Severe’ category in parts of Delhi the morning after Deepavali in the early hours on Monday (November 9, 2026), according to data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) .
The Readings
A thick layer of smog engulfed several parts of the city, significantly impairing visibility during the early morning hours, including around the Inderlok area .
The ITO monitoring station recorded an AQI of 406 around 4:20 a.m., placing it in the ‘Severe’ category . Several other key areas continued to reel under the ‘Very Poor’ bracket — Rajiv Chowk clocked 381 at 1:30 a.m., while the area surrounding South Extension registered 360 at 4:00 a.m. .
Citywide Picture
Across the capital, the overall AQI stood at 366 at 6 a.m., in the ‘Very Poor’ category, even as 15 monitoring stations recorded levels above 400 . Among the worst affected were Sonia Vihar (449), Burari Crossing (445), Vivek Vihar (441), Jahangirpuri (439) and North Campus of Delhi University (437) .
The India Meteorological Department issued a district-level fog warning, forecasting dense to very dense fog across several districts, with visibility likely to drop sharply .
GRAP Stage III in Force
The deterioration comes despite Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) being invoked across Delhi-NCR on Friday, three days before Deepavali, as a precautionary measure . The restrictions include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers, and a shift of primary classes to hybrid mode .
Defiance of Firecracker Rules
The spike followed widespread firecracker bursting on Deepavali night, with many continuing well past the 10 p.m. deadline set by the Supreme Court . Official data showed pollution shot up to over 50 times World Health Organization limits in parts of the city .
The Air Quality Early Warning System had forecast that air quality would remain in the ‘Severe’ category from November 9 for the next few days, attributed to firecrackers, vehicular emissions and the peak period of stubble burning, combined with unfavourable meteorological conditions .
