Toxic dawn for NCR: Delhi's AQI at a dangerous 472, Noida spikes to a staggering 583

Delhi began its Sunday under another blanket of thick, choking smog, with the city’s real-time Air Quality Index climbing to 472 — firmly in the hazardous range. PM2.5 levels touched 311 µg/m³ and PM10 crossed 420 µg/m³ in the morning, leaving little breathing comfort for residents as temperatures dipped and winds slowed.

Several neighbourhoods continued to face extreme pollution. Wazirpur crossed 450, Bawana recorded 435, and Jahangirpuri stood at 438 by 7.15 am. Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar, both above 420, offered no relief either. 

The wider NCR also remained engulfed in toxic air. Noida recorded an alarming AQI of 583, making it one of the worst-hit pockets in the region. Greater Noida stayed in the “very poor” zone at 380, while Ghaziabad reported 426 in the severe category.

As conditions worsened for the ninth straight day, the Supreme Court earlier on November 19 pulled up authorities for continuing with outdoor school sports in such toxic air. 

A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said exposing children to outdoor activity during November and December “amounts to putting school children in a gas chamber”. 

Senior advocate Aprajita Singh, assisting the court as amicus curiae, echoed the concern, saying, “Children are most vulnerable. Holding sports now is like putting them in gas chambers.” The bench directed the Commission for Air Quality Management to immediately advise the Delhi government to postpone all school sports competitions to safer months.

The top court said the Delhi air crisis cannot be handled only when it peaks, ordering that the matter be listed every month for continuous monitoring. Monthly hearings will now review action-taken reports from CAQM and the Environment Ministry. 

Even as the courts raised alarm about children’s exposure, forecasts showed no immediate improvement. The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System said Delhi’s air is likely to remain in the “very poor” to “severe” zone for the next six days, with stagnant winds and winter inversion trapping pollutants close to the ground.

Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has tightened the Graded Response Action Plan, shifting several restrictions into earlier stages to trigger interventions before air quality collapses further. 

With Delhi’s AQI well above 400, the city is already under Stage 3 restrictions. Many private offices have shifted half their staff to remote work, while government departments in Delhi have adopted staggered timings to reduce peak-hour congestion. Schools have been instructed once again to avoid any outdoor physical activities until conditions improve.