This drastic drop was due to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms that affected parts of Delhi, caused by a western disturbance over Northwest India
Gusty winds and rain showers have brought air pollution in Delhi to its lowest level for March since 2020, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching ’85’ on Saturday – the best in the last five years for this month.
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According to the Commission for Air Quality and Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR, this was also the first day of 2025 that the AQI in the national capital fell within ‘Satisfactory’ levels, having been much higher earlier.
An AQI between 51 and 100 is considered ‘Satisfactory’. This is also the best AQI value for the period from 1st to 15th March in the last three years.
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The improvement in air quality was especially noticeable over the last 24 hours, with the AQI dropping from ‘198 (Moderate)’ on Friday to ’85 (Satisfactory)’ on Saturday.
This drastic drop was due to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms that affected parts of Delhi, caused by a western disturbance over Northwest India. The maximum temperature also dropped slightly to 33°C, while the minimum temperature remained around 18°C.
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GRAP Stage-1 Lifted
As a result, the CAQM has lifted Stage One of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which had been implemented on March 7 when the AQI reached 200.
According to the air quality forecast by IITM Pune, the air quality is expected to stay ‘Satisfactory’ on Sunday, with the AQI likely to rise gradually after March 17.
This improvement in air quality comes just days after a global report ranked Delhi among the most polluted cities in the world. The World Air Quality Report 2024 by IQAir revealed that the city had consistently high pollution levels throughout the year, with an annual PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly the same as the 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre recorded in 2023.
Recent studies have shown that worsening air quality is having long-term health impacts on residents, reducing their life expectancy and making them more vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases.
