Delhi has registered its cleanest air quality between January and October 2025 in eight years, excluding the lockdown year of 2020, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The average Air Quality Index (AQI) for this period stood at 170, a notable drop from 184 in 2024 and 187 in 2022, signalling a sustained improvement trend across the National Capital Region (NCR).
No 'severe' air quality days recorded this year
The CAQM stated that Delhi did not witness a single 'severe' air quality day (AQI above 400) in the first ten months of 2025 - a first since 2018. In camparison, there were three such days each in 2024 and 2023, one in 2022, six in 2021 and nine in 2019. The commission said this marks a major shift towards cleaner air and improved pollutant control measures. Furthermore, Delhi experienced 79 'satisfactory' air quality days (AQI between 51–100), the highest since 2018, excluding 2020. The number stood at 66 in 2024, 60 in 2023 and 53 in 2018, reflecting a clear rise in days with breathable air.
PM2.5 and PM10 levels show noticeable decline
CAQM data revealed that Delhi recorded its lowest PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations during January–October 2025 compared to the same period since 2018 (excluding 2020). The average PM2.5 level dropped to 72 µg/m³ from 83 in 2024, while PM10 fell to 166 µg/m³ from 186 last year. The commission attributed this trend to consistent efforts by agencies and seasonal factors. However, it cautioned that the transition from monsoon to post-monsoon winds brings weaker and drier conditions that may trap pollutants and worsen air quality temporarily.
Govt credits efforts, refutes data manipulation claims
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa credited the government's initiatives for the improved AQI levels and dismissed allegations that pollution data had been tampered with. "The substantial decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI) has been due to the government's efforts and I want to clarify that all monitoring stations are tamper-free and they are monitored by CPCB and CAQM," he said. Earlier, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had also reaffirmed that pollution data “cannot be manipulated or tampered with.”
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticised the government’s cloud seeding trials, accusing it of shutting down monitoring stations and altering AQI data on Diwali night to “hide the real picture.” Sirsa, however, maintained that the stations are “tamper-proof” and continuously tracked by independent authorities.
(With inputs from PTI)
