📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from USA
Weather
Ghaziabad's AQI spikes to 516, surpassing Delhi's 456 – NCR faces severe smog
✍️ India Today
🗓 04 Nov 2026, 06:02 AM
👁 8
The air quality index in Ghaziabad rose to 516, outpacing Delhi's 456, highlighting a worsening pollution crisis across the National Capital Region.
The National Capital Region recorded alarming air‑quality figures on Tuesday, with Ghaziabad registering an AQI of 516, classified as hazardous. Delhi, the capital city, posted a still‑high reading of 456, placing both locations among the most polluted urban centres in the country.
Meteorological agencies attribute the surge to a combination of stagnant wind patterns, low temperatures and a buildup of vehicular and industrial emissions. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee warned that the current levels exceed the safe limit set by the National Air Quality Index, posing health risks especially to children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have issued advisories urging residents to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed, and use N‑95 masks when venturing outside. The state government has also announced the activation of emergency measures, including the deployment of additional air‑purifying units at schools and hospitals.
Experts say that without immediate mitigation—such as stricter vehicular restrictions, curbing construction dust, and enhancing green cover—the region could see prolonged periods of hazardous air quality, impacting public health and economic productivity.
The situation remains under close monitoring, with daily AQI updates expected from the Central Pollution Control Board and local monitoring stations.
Meteorological agencies attribute the surge to a combination of stagnant wind patterns, low temperatures and a buildup of vehicular and industrial emissions. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee warned that the current levels exceed the safe limit set by the National Air Quality Index, posing health risks especially to children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have issued advisories urging residents to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed, and use N‑95 masks when venturing outside. The state government has also announced the activation of emergency measures, including the deployment of additional air‑purifying units at schools and hospitals.
Experts say that without immediate mitigation—such as stricter vehicular restrictions, curbing construction dust, and enhancing green cover—the region could see prolonged periods of hazardous air quality, impacting public health and economic productivity.
The situation remains under close monitoring, with daily AQI updates expected from the Central Pollution Control Board and local monitoring stations.