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Delhi Chokes as Air Quality Plummets, No 'Good' Days in Over 2 Years
3 Nov
Summary
- Delhi has not recorded a 'good' air day since September 2023
- Air quality index reached 'severe' levels in November 2025
- High background emissions, not just particulate matter, are the culprit
As of November 2025, Delhi's air quality crisis continues unabated, with the city failing to record a single 'good' air day in over two years. The last time Delhi saw 'good' air, defined as an air quality index (AQI) of 50 or less, was in September 2023, when a combination of rain and strong winds helped flush out pollutants.
However, the situation has only worsened since then. On November 4th, 2025, the average AQI at 4 pm was a staggering 309, firmly in the 'very poor' category. This comes a day after Delhi officially recorded its worst air quality this season, with a reading of 388 at 10 am on November 3rd. Forecasts indicate the AQI will dip further into the 'severe' range on November 5th.
Experts say the lack of 'good' air days, despite an excess of 41% rain during the monsoon months, suggests that the city's high background emissions, particularly from gases like ozone and nitrogen dioxide, are the primary culprits. Rain typically helps settle particulate matter, but it has little impact on these gaseous pollutants, which have remained stubbornly high due to factors like vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and open burning.
