Delhis AQI improves to very poor, several areas still in severe category; haze to persist

New Delhi: Delhi's air quality improved marginally on Monday, with the city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 366. This still puts it in "very poor" category.

However, AQI levels in several parts of the national capital remained above the "severe" mark of 400. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 402, Bawana 408, Narela 418, Jahangirpuri 418, and Wazirpur 403. Pusa Road reported an AQI of 359.

AQI readings between 301 and 400 are classified as "very poor", while levels above 400 are considered "severe".

Earlier this month, the Delhi government imposed GRAP-IV restrictions after the average AQI crossed the 400 mark. The measures included curbs on the entry of certain vehicles, closure of schools, a 50 per cent work-from-home mandate for government and private offices, and the shutdown of non-essential commercial activities.

Apart from the toxic air the national capital has also been bearing the brunt of dense fog which has severely impacted visibility and disrupted transport services. Sunday was the seventh consecutive day of flight and train disruptions due to low visibility in the national capital.

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, more than 100 flights were cancelled at Delhi airport on Sunday, while over 500 were delayed. The city has witnessed over 4,000 flight disruptions over the past week.

Weather agencies have forecast that hazy conditions are likely to persist for at least two more days, offering little immediate relief.

The minimum temperature on Sunday settled at 9.4 degrees Celsius, higher than 6.1 degrees Celsius a day earlier and 1.3 degrees above the seasonal average. The maximum temperature stood at 18.1 degrees Celsius, around four degrees below normal but higher than 16.9 degrees Celsius recorded on Saturday.