New Delhi: A thick haze continued to envelop Delhi on Friday, a day after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) effected Stage 3 of the city’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as a part of enhanced anti-pollution curbs.
The air quality worsened a day after it tipped into the severe category for the first time this season and prompted mitigation measures including a ban on the use of older vehicles.
An average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 464 (severe) was recorded at 8 AM on Friday. Mundka and Bawana almost touched the top AQI limit at 498 and 496 at 7:05 AM. All stations other than Dilshad Garden (367) were in the severe category. Greater Noida recorded an AQI of 473 and Faridabad 442.
The rapid deterioration in air quality and fog plunged visibility to 600 meters at Safdarjung and 500 meters at Palam, confirmed IMD in a tweet.
Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the closure of all government and private primary schools for two days after the pollution level worsened. Delhi recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 392 just short of the severe mark at 4PM. The average AQI barrelled up to 427 just before midnight. Mundka (453) and Anand Vihar (449) topped the charts.
Greater Noida was on Thursday the worst off across the National Capital Region (NCR) with an AQI reading of 402 (severe) at 4pm. The AQIs in Gurugram and Ghaziabad were in the poor category at 297 and 286.