Delhi Air Quality Hits 377 as Winter Smoke Blows In Ahead of Diwali

Delhi’s air quality index reached 377 on Wednesday morning, pushing the city into the very poor category as winter weather settles over northern India.

Authorities have activated Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan to combat the rising levels of fine particulate matter. This tier of emergency measures includes intensified road cleaning and higher parking fees to discourage private vehicle use. Delhi Metro has added 20 extra weekday train trips, and government offices are now operating on staggered schedules to reduce traffic congestion.

The sudden deterioration follows an unusually clean October, which marked the city’s lowest average AQI for that month in eight years. Experts attribute the current spike to falling temperatures, slow winds, and increased crop-residue burning in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana. A recent storm had temporarily cleared the air with rain and stronger winds, but northwesterly winds have since returned, carrying smoke from fields toward the capital.

The Supreme Court of India issued a directive on Monday allowing the sale and use of certified green firecrackers in Delhi and nearby areas for a limited period. The court restricted the setting off of these crackers to two specific windows on November 7 and 8: between 06:00 and 07:00 local time, and between 20:00 and 22:00. Fireworks are banned within 300 meters of hospitals, care homes, schools, and other designated silence zones.

The judicial order acknowledges that conventional firecrackers have often been sold as green alternatives even during previous bans. To enforce the new rules, police have been directed to patrol sales areas, perform random QR-code checks, and seize illegal stock. Green firecrackers use modified chemical formulations to reduce emissions and must display QR codes that allow buyers and officials to verify manufacturer details and certification.

The pollution crisis is not limited to the capital. Mumbai, India’s financial hub, recorded an AQI of 322 on October 24, also placing it in the very poor category. That spike resulted from low wind speeds, construction dust, and garbage burning. The city’s air quality has improved in recent days, with Wednesday’s AQI reading at 89, a level classified as satisfactory. Navi Mumbai recorded a moderate AQI of 118 on the same day.

Diwali, one of India’s largest festivals, is just days away. The celebration of lights, lamps, and fireworks typically releases additional fine particles and harmful gases into the atmosphere. Last year, the capital faced a toxic haze the morning after the festival, despite court directives to use less-polluting firecrackers.