What is the AQI in Delhi today?

Delhi's air quality suffers from a mix of local emissions and regional pollution that builds up over the Indo-Gangetic plain. Heavy road traffic, diesel trucks, construction dust, and industrial activity in the National Capital Region all release fine particles (PM2.5) and gases that raise the Air Quality Index.

Every winter, crop-residue burning in neighbouring states sends extra smoke into the NCR. Cooler nights and slow winds create an inversion layer that traps pollutants near the ground, so AQI can stay in the "unhealthy" or "very unhealthy" range for days at a time.

Geography also plays a role: Delhi sits in a bowl-like plain where dirty air from nearby cities has fewer escape routes. That is why checking today's AQI in Delhi before outdoor plans matters, especially for children, seniors, and anyone with asthma or heart conditions.

During extreme smog episodes-often after Diwali or peak stubble-burning season-news outlets and air-quality apps have reported very high Delhi AQI readings. On the US EPA scale (0-500), anything above 300 is already "hazardous," and official monitors in Delhi have repeatedly logged values in the 400-500+ range on the worst days.

Some Indian apps and local indices use different formulas or show raw PM2.5 levels converted to a single number, which can produce headlines above 500. A figure like 700 is not common on the standard US EPA scale (which caps at 500), but it has appeared in media when describing exceptional pollution events or non-standard conversions.

For day-to-day decisions, rely on today's live reading above, CPCB or SAFAR advisories, and treat any "very unhealthy" or "hazardous" level as a signal to limit outdoor exposure, wear a well-fitted N95 mask, and use indoor air purification.