NEW DELHI, November 4, 2026 — Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Wednesday, with the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 369 at 6 am and remaining in the “Very Poor” category. Mandir Marg recorded a station-level reading of 508, classified as “Severe” in the morning report, as a large number of monitoring locations across the capital registered high pollution levels.
The city-wide reading had been 350 at 4 pm on Tuesday, according to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) figures cited by The Indian Express. The increase over the following 14 hours indicates that the brief improvement after late-October rain has not held. The station-level numbers were worse in several neighbourhoods: the newspaper’s count of 25 stations found 14 in the severe category, 10 in very poor and one in the poor category.
The readings vary by location and time. Delhi’s city-wide average should not be confused with the figure at an individual monitoring station, and a single station does not describe conditions across the entire National Capital Region. The 6 am snapshot nevertheless showed widespread pollution, with several monitoring points above the 400 mark.
Also read: Delhi AQI Enters Very Poor Category as Morning Reading Reaches 310
The IITM forecast cited by The Indian Express put Delhi’s AQI at about 343 on Thursday, which would keep the city in the very poor band. The forecast is an estimate based on expected weather and pollution conditions, not a guarantee that readings will remain unchanged. Wind speed, atmospheric mixing, local emissions and other weather factors can alter pollution levels through the day.
Authorities have continued measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The Public Works Department has been preparing truck-mounted anti-smog guns for use on roads, while Gurugram authorities are to halt dust-generating construction and demolition activity from November 5 to November 20 under directions linked to pollution control. The reported office arrangements in Gurugram include a 50% physical attendance limit, with the remaining staff working from home, subject to exemptions for essential services and specified projects.
Such measures are intended to reduce dust and traffic-related emissions during periods of poor air quality, but their effectiveness depends on consistent implementation and on conditions beyond any one city agency’s control. Anti-smog equipment can address local dust, for example, but does not substitute for longer-term action on transport emissions, construction practices, industrial sources and regional pollution.
IITM has warned that people may experience more serious health effects at the current pollution levels, according to the report. Very poor and severe readings are a public-health concern, particularly for children, older people and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. The AQI is an ambient-air indicator rather than an individual medical assessment; exposure can vary according to a person’s location, time outdoors and activity.
Residents should check current readings and advisories from official monitoring sources before making decisions based on older screenshots or reports. Conditions can differ sharply between neighbourhoods, and a morning reading may not reflect the afternoon situation. People who experience breathing difficulty or other concerning symptoms should seek appropriate medical advice rather than relying on a city-wide AQI number to assess their personal condition.
The return to very poor air after rain is a reminder that temporary weather-related relief does not necessarily mean emissions have fallen. The next indicators will be the Thursday forecast, updated station readings, the enforcement of construction restrictions and the extent to which traffic and dust-control measures are implemented across Delhi and neighbouring districts.