Delhi’s air quality has shown improvement over the last three days, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 273 as of Monday morning, classified as “poor.” This marks a significant improvement from Sunday’s AQI of 311, which was considered “very poor.” Despite the improvement, the air quality remains unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Chandni Chowk, a major tourist area, reported a relatively cleaner AQI of 186, while areas like Nehru Nagar and Shadipur recorded the highest pollution levels, with AQIs of 335 and 320, respectively.
Experts attribute the improvement to a combination of factors, including the implementation of a new traffic plan and favourable meteorological conditions. As part of the efforts, Chandni Chowk has seen reduced pollution levels due to restrictions on polluting vehicles. The deployment of a joint task force to enforce traffic regulations, such as limiting the entry of heavy vehicles, has also contributed to this improvement.
Shashank Jaiswal, the DCP at the traffic headquarters, explained that the study of traffic patterns helped identify peak times for heavy vehicles, allowing for targeted restrictions. Dr. Sachin Ghude, a senior scientist at IITM, confirmed that traffic restrictions have significantly improved the air quality, especially in areas like Chandni Chowk, where high foot traffic makes air quality monitoring critical.
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