📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Fredericknoronha
Weather
Delhi registers best AQI on Oct 24 in a decade, excluding Covid years
✍️ Business Standard
🗓 25 Oct 2026, 12:03 AM
👁 11
The capital posted its lowest Air Quality Index for October 24 in ten years, according to government data, marking a notable improvement in pollution levels.
Delhi's environmental monitoring agency reported that the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded on 24 October was the best the city has seen in the past ten years, when the Covid pandemic period is excluded. The data, released by the government and cited by Business Standard, reflects a significant dip in pollutant concentrations across the National Capital Region.
Officials highlighted that the improvement aligns with recent weather conditions that have helped disperse pollutants, as well as ongoing emission‑reduction measures such as stricter vehicle norms and increased green cover. While the exact AQI figure was not disclosed, the trend suggests a move towards cleaner air compared with previous years.
The government has urged residents to sustain the momentum by adhering to anti‑pollution guidelines, including using public transport and avoiding the burning of waste. Environmental experts view this reading as a positive sign, but caution that continued vigilance is required to maintain air‑quality gains, especially during winter months when pollution typically spikes.
Authorities plan to monitor the AQI closely in the coming weeks and will issue advisories if levels rise. The latest reading offers a hopeful glimpse of Delhi's air‑quality trajectory, reinforcing the impact of recent policy interventions.
Officials highlighted that the improvement aligns with recent weather conditions that have helped disperse pollutants, as well as ongoing emission‑reduction measures such as stricter vehicle norms and increased green cover. While the exact AQI figure was not disclosed, the trend suggests a move towards cleaner air compared with previous years.
The government has urged residents to sustain the momentum by adhering to anti‑pollution guidelines, including using public transport and avoiding the burning of waste. Environmental experts view this reading as a positive sign, but caution that continued vigilance is required to maintain air‑quality gains, especially during winter months when pollution typically spikes.
Authorities plan to monitor the AQI closely in the coming weeks and will issue advisories if levels rise. The latest reading offers a hopeful glimpse of Delhi's air‑quality trajectory, reinforcing the impact of recent policy interventions.