Delhi AQI Level Today, 24 November 2025: Delhi continues to choke as air quality plummets to ‘hazardous’ levels, AQI at 559 | Delhi News
Delhi-NCR residents woke up to a blanket of smog, with the air quality index (AQI) pegged at 559, Sunday, according to private tracker AQI.in. However, the Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) pegged the AQI much lower, at 397.
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Visuals show thick smog blanketing the skyline, leaving buildings and roads barely visible from a distance.
There are six categories of AQI, namely ‘Good’ (0-50), ‘Satisfactory’ (50-100), ‘Moderately polluted’ (100-200), ‘Poor’ (200-300), ‘Very Poor’ (300-400), and ‘Severe’ (400-500). AQI above 500 is generally referred to as in the ‘hazardous’ category.
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According to AQI.in, breathing air in this location is as harmful as smoking 11.8 cigarettes a day. This estimate is based on the average PM2.5 concentration over the past 24 hours, assuming continuous exposure during that time.
The PM2.5 concentration on Monday was measured at 331 µg/m³, far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 15 µg/m³. The current PM2.5 level in New Delhi is 22.06 times above the recommended guideline. According to the WHO, “exposure to PM2.5 can cause diseases affecting both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, including stroke, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”
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Among the most polluted areas were Ashok Vihar (702), Maidan Garhi (734), Surya Nagar (595), Vasant Kunj (497) Vasant Vihar (519), and West Sant Nagar Burari (629) — all recording hazardous levels of pollution.
Pollution levels were nearly as bad in neighbouring cities, with Ghaziabad (536), Noida (529), Greater Noida (607), and Gurugram (406) also experiencing unhealthy air quality.
Government tells pvt firms to have 50% staff onsite
Looking at the state of pollution in the city and after following the Supreme Court observations this week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday tightened Delhi-NCR’s pollution-response framework by moving several actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to earlier stages.
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This means that from now on, several measures such as staggered timings, expanded public transport and even the option of work-from-home will begin at lower pollution levels than earlier.
What has primarily changed is that several measures that previously applied only when AQI reached the ‘Very Poor’ category will now start when it enters the ‘Poor’ category.
Health advisory
Residents of Delhi should minimise outdoor exposure as much as possible. If you must go outside, be sure to wear an N-95 mask. Avoid all outdoor workouts, including jogging, running, and yoga. Schools in the city have already suspended outdoor activities.
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Use air purifiers at home or in your car whenever available. Seek medical attention promptly if you experience any breathing difficulties.
