The air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘poor’ category on Saturday morning as the overall AQI recorded at 7 am was 336. According to the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI recorded at several monitoring stations of Delhi was ‘very poor’ while some stations also recorded ‘severe’ air quality.
The air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘poor’ category on Saturday morning as the overall AQI recorded at 7 am was 336. According to the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI recorded at several monitoring stations of Delhi was ‘very poor’ while some stations also recorded ‘severe’ air quality.
Delhi-NCR AQI today
The AQI reported at Anand Vihar was 355, Alipur 352, Ashok Vihar 358, Burari Crossing 373, Chandani Chowk 349, Dwarka Sector-8 320, ITO 373, Jahangirpuri 365, Mandir Marg 342, Mundka 377, Najafgarh 288, Narela 358, Okhla Phase-2 337, Patparganj 351, Punjabi Bagh 373, RK Puram 337, Rohini 361 and Sirifort 344 – all categorised as ‘very poor’ as of 7 am. Earlier on Friday at 4 pm, Delhi recorded an AQI of 322.
In the national capital region, AQI in Gurugram (Sector 51) stood at 277, Noida(Sector 1) at 324, and Ghaziabad (Vasundhara) at 364 as of 7 am, according to CPCB.
Since Diwali, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has been categorised as ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ in several areas, even as Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remains in effect. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already announced the doubling of parking fees across the national capital after the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage II was invoked due to deteriorating air quality.
CM Rekha Gupta revised office timings for govt officials
In view of the rising air pollution in the capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has decided to change the working hours of the offices of the Delhi Government and the Delhi Municipal Corporation. This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to prevent pollution, ensuring that the pressure of vehicles on the roads does not increase all at once and the traffic load is evenly distributed, thereby reducing pollution levels, according to the release. It was decided that during the winter season (from November 15, 2025, to February 15, 2026), phased changes would be made in the office timings of various departments of the Delhi Government and the Municipal Corporation. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to maintain a gap in the opening and closing times of offices to prevent simultaneous traffic pressure.
Currently, Delhi Government offices operate from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and Delhi Municipal Corporation offices from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Due to a 30-minute difference in timing, heavy traffic and congestion occur both in the morning and evening, further exacerbating air pollution. The Chief Minister said that if a greater gap is maintained between the opening and closing times of both institutions, the number of vehicles on the roads at the same time will decrease, helping to reduce pollution. According to the Chief Minister, there is a likelihood of increased pollution this year as well during the aforementioned period (November 15, 2025, to February 15, 2026), so changes are being made to government office timings.
New timings
Under the proposed changes, the new winter timings for government offices will be as follows: Delhi Government offices from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM, and Delhi Municipal Corporation offices from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. She instructed the officials to implement this arrangement throughout the winter season strictly and to monitor traffic and pollution levels continuously. The Chief Minister expressed hope that this step would help reduce pollution and provide relief to the citizens of Delhi.
(With inputs from ANI)
