Delhi Chokes Under Persistent Haze as AQI Hovers at 345 in 'Very Poor' Zone

New Delhi: A dense layer of smog enveloped the national capital, Delhi, and surrounding NCR regions on Monday morning, pushing air quality firmly into the "very poor" category.

At 8 am, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 345.

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Several monitoring stations reported alarming readings, with multiple zones crossing into the "severe" bracket:
- Bawana: 412 (severe)  
- Wazirpur: 397  
- Rohini: 390  
- Anand Vihar: 379  
- ITO: 375  
- Punjabi Bagh: 324  
- Delhi Airport: 307  

Neighbouring cities fared no better, all logging "very poor" levels:  
- Gurugram: 328  
- Greater Noida: 325  
- Ghaziabad: 318  
- Faridabad: 312  
- Noida: 310  

Akshardham emerged as a hotspot with an AQI of 479, plunging deep into the "severe-plus" range. Visuals from Barapullah Bridge near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Lodhi Road (AQI 314) captured the thick, grey veil reducing visibility and prompting emergency dust-suppression measures, including water sprinkling by civic teams.

AQI Scale Reminder:
- 0–50: Good  
- 51–100: Satisfactory  
- 101–200: Moderate  
- 201–300: Poor  
- 301–400: Very Poor  
- 401–450: Severe  
- Above 450: Severe-Plus  

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast no immediate relief, predicting "very poor" air quality to persist over the next few days due to stagnant weather and rising particulate levels.