Dense Fog Envelopes Northern India As Airlines Issue Advisories; Delhi AQI Remains 'Very Poor'

Last Updated:December 19, 2025, 07:13 IST

RK Puram emerged as the most polluted area with an AQI of 447, followed closely by Anand Vihar, Vivek Vihar, and Sirifort, all recording 442.

A layer of smog engulfs the city after air quality deteriorated, in New Delhi. (IMAGE: PTI)

Delhi continued to reel under poor air quality, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 387 at 6 am on Friday morning, remaining in the ‘very poor’ category and signalling no respite from the ongoing pollution spell.

This marks a deterioration from Thursday morning’s AQI of 356, underscoring the steady decline in air quality across the city.

Compounding commuters’ woes, dense fog also impacted flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, prompting authorities to implement CAT III operations, which may lead to delays and disruptions.

In a passenger advisory, Delhi International Airport Limited said on-ground teams are working in close coordination with all stakeholders to assist travellers across terminals, while passengers have been advised to check real-time flight updates with their respective airlines.

Several pollution hotspots reported alarmingly high readings. R K Puram emerged as the most polluted area with an AQI of 447, followed closely by Anand Vihar, Vivek Vihar, and Sirifort, all recording 442.

Other areas also remained deep in the severe zone, including Dwarka Sector-8 (429), Nehru Nagar (425), NSIT Dwarka (423), Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (423) and Okhla Phase-2 (422).

Even locations that fared comparatively better continued to record poor air quality. Shadipur and Alipur both logged an AQI of 306, while Burari Crossing stood at 313. Najafgarh (346), North Campus, Delhi University (350), and Lodhi Road, which ranged between 351 and 354, also remained in the ‘very poor’ category.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.

News new-delhi-news Dense Fog Envelopes Northern India As Airlines Issue Advisories; Delhi AQI Remains 'Very Poor'

Read More