Delhi Air Quality Sees Significant Improvement
Delhi residents experienced a notable improvement in air quality on Tuesday, November 11, 2026, as the city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 299. This shift moved the national capital from the 'very poor' category to 'poor,' offering some relief from persistent pollution.
The positive change is largely attributed to stronger northwesterly winds, which have been sweeping through the region at an average speed of 12-14 kmph. Weather expert Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, confirmed that these winds are effectively dispersing pollutants, a trend expected to continue over the next few days, potentially leading to further AQI improvement.
Pollutant Levels and Monitoring Stations
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, concentrations of particulate matter, specifically PM2.5 and PM10, are projected to decline for the next two days. On Tuesday, out of 58 monitoring stations, 28 recorded 'very poor' air quality, 28 registered 'poor,' and two reported 'moderate' levels. Importantly, no station recorded 'severe' air quality.
Areas like Delhi Cantonment and Sri Aurobindo Marg saw particularly better conditions, with average AQI readings of 135 and 155, respectively, placing them in the 'moderate' category.
Understanding Pollution Sources
Despite the improvement, understanding the sources of Delhi's air pollution remains crucial. The Decision Support System (DSS) for Delhi indicated that the transport sector was the largest contributor to the city's pollution on Tuesday, accounting for 18 percent of emissions.
Stubble burning, a recurring issue, contributed 2 percent to the pollution on Tuesday, though forecasts suggested this could rise to 7.9 percent by Wednesday. Satellite data collected on Monday revealed 559 residue-burning incidents across six states, including 198 in Punjab, 17 in Haryana, 47 in Uttar Pradesh, 50 in Rajasthan, eight in Uttarakhand, and 239 in Madhya Pradesh. A total of 8,665 farm-fire incidents have been detected across these states between September 15 and November 9, as reported by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) Laboratory of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
The continued vigilance and efforts to mitigate these contributing factors will be essential for sustaining and enhancing Delhi's air quality in the long term.