Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category on Wednesday morning, with a thick layer of smog engulfing the city.
The air quality Index (AQI) has worsened from 316 on Tuesday evening to 361 on Wednesday morning. Several regions in the capital region recorded an AQI of over 300. Aya nagar recorded the worst air quality in the city with an AQI of 417 at 8 am on Wednesday, which falls under the severe category, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Other areas which had an AQI of above 300 include Anand Vihar, which recorded an AQI of 396, Jahangirpuri, which recorded an AQI of 389, ITO with an AQI of 378 and IGI Airport with an AQI of 368, according to the data.
Delhi’s 24 hour average AQI was recorded at 361 at 8 am on Tuesday. Visibility dropped in several areas in Delhi as dense fog surrounded the city on Wednesday morning, with Indira Gandhi International Airport recording near-zero levels.
Visuals from several parts of the city showed visibility dropping to near zero, with cars using fog lights on the roads. The Indira Gandhi International Airport issued an advisory and said that flights which were not compliant with CAT III would be affected due to the fog.
“While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”
Visuals from the Delhi-Meerut Expressway also showed the visibility reducing to near-zero in the region.
One of the primary factors contributing to this dense fog is the presence of densely concentrated smoke in the atmosphere. This smoke, combined with dust particles, serves as nucleation sites for water vapour, facilitating heterogeneous condensation. This process allows fog to quickly condense in the region, reducing visibility drastically, especially at ground level.