NEW DELHI: When he started using an air purifier, Mohit Srivastava hoped it would ease his asthma attacks worsened by Delhi’s smog. Eight years later, he cannot imagine not using it, as air quality in the Indian capital has further deteriorated, pushing residents to rely on machines to breathe indoors.
Delhi has not recorded a single “clean air” day in 2025, with Air Quality Index readings hitting high above the 50 score throughout the year.
On the AQI scale from 0 to 500, good air quality is represented by levels below 50, while levels above 300 are dangerous.
Since Diwali in late October, Delhi’s average AQI has been above 370, or “very poor.” On Nov. 11, it jumped to 428, marking the first “severe” air‑quality day.
On Nov. 24, some parts of the city, including Ashok Vihar in the north and Maidan Garhi in the south, registered AQI levels above 700, or “hazardous,” meaning the air was dangerous for the entire population, not only sensitive groups.
