Delhi witnessed its cleanest air on Saturday with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 85, the lowest in the last three years for the period from January 1 to March 15.
The national capital has witnessed a ‘Satisfactory’ AQI in the month of March, for the first time in five years since 2020. The sharp drop in pollution levels prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to lift all curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan from across NCR with immediate effect. The favourable AQI reading comes a day after parts of Delhi-NCR witnessed light rainfall, keeping the summer heat at bay.
The 24-hour average AQI stood at 85 at 4 pm on Saturday, placing it in the ‘Satisfactory’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This is the first ‘Satisfactory’ air quality day of 2025.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘Good,’ 51-100 is ‘Satisfactory,’ 101-200 is ‘Moderate,’ 201-300 is ‘Poor,’ 301-400 is ‘Very Poor,’ and 401-500 is ‘Severe.’
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) also shared on its X account, stating, “Today, Delhi recorded an average AQI of 85, the lowest in the last three years for the period from 1st January to 15th March. Today’s AQI is also the first day of the current year with a ‘Satisfactory’ AQI (AQI 51-100).”
It further mentioned that Delhi has witnessed a ‘Satisfactory’ AQI in March for the first time in five years, since 2020.
Meanwhile, the maximum temperature in Delhi on Saturday was 33 degrees Celsius, 4.1 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The minimum temperature was 18.7 degrees Celsius, while humidity levels fluctuated between 62 per cent and 50 per cent. On Friday, Delhi experienced its hottest day of the year, with the mercury reaching 36.2 degrees Celsius, 7.3 degrees Celsius above normal, the IMD stated.
The weather department has predicted generally cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle on Sunday. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 32 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively.
