Delhi wakes up to chilly morning as AQI improves, smog still hangs over city

What happened: Delhi began Sunday, January 11, 2026, with a cold, windy morning as temperatures dipped to 6.6°C, while air quality showed marginal improvement.

Why it matters now: Despite the overall AQI slipping from “very poor” to “poor”, smog continues to affect visibility and health in several neighbourhoods.

What changes for people: Cleaner air relief remains uneven, with many areas still crossing hazardous pollution thresholds.

Who is affected: Commuters, children, elderly residents and people with respiratory conditions across large parts of the capital.

Delhi experienced a brief breather from extreme pollution levels on Sunday morning, but the respite remained limited. While average air quality improved, a thin blanket of smog continued to linger across multiple zones, raising concerns for public health and daily mobility.

According to official readings, the city’s average Air Quality Index stood at 298, placing it in the “poor” category, an improvement from the “very poor” levels recorded earlier this week. However, pollution hotspots across the capital told a more worrying story.

Pollution remains severe in several areas

Data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) up to 7 am showed that multiple monitoring stations continued to report AQI levels above 300, which falls in the “very poor” range.

Nehru Nagar recorded the highest AQI at 359, followed by Jahangirpuri at 347, Anand Vihar at 339, and RK Puram at 336. Other areas with alarming readings included Siri Fort at 334, Chandni Chowk at 334, Okhla Phase 2 at 333, Wazirpur at 327, and Rohini at 320. Even relatively calmer zones like Dwarka Sector 8 remained above safe limits at 308.

Weather helps, but relief is limited

Meteorological officials indicated that strong surface winds and lower temperatures helped disperse pollutants to some extent. However, experts cautioned that winter conditions continue to trap emissions close to the ground, slowing sustained recovery.

Environmental analysts noted that vehicular emissions, industrial output, and local dust remain key contributors. Without consistent wind movement, air quality could deteriorate again within days.