Delhi Records Season’s Worst Air Quality, CAQM Slams DDA for Road Dust Negligence

Delhi recorded a thick blanket of smog on December 15, 2025, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 450, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi at 11 am, which falls in the higher spectrum of 'severe' category, reported PTI.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) came under fire from the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) for "evident gaps" and "recurring negligence" in the city's road maintenance on December 14.

According to a news release by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, 136 DDA-maintained road segments were examined by flying squads. Of them, 15 had high visible dust levels, 38 had moderate dust levels, 61 had low dust intensity and 22 had no visible dust.

In addition, the squads discovered 55 stretches with accumulated municipal solid waste (MSW), 53 stretches with construction and demolition waste, and six stretches with open burning of MSW or biomass.

One of the main causes of air pollution in Delhi is dust pollution. These "observations clearly indicate evident gaps and recurring negligence in the upkeep of the stretches concerned," stated the CAQM.

The DDA must improve its "operational efficiency" and take swift corrective action by implementing "consistent and timely dust mitigation interventions," it continued.

AQI at Season’s Worst

Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital on December 14 worsened, recording a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 461 at 4 pm, the highest value recorded this season, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

It worsened further from the 431 (‘severe’) recorded on December 13 and is likely to improve slightly to the ‘very poor’ category on Monday, the CPCB’s daily official bulletin stated.

According to CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.

Air quality in several other cities of north India, including Bahadurgarh in Haryana, and Ghaziabad and Noida in Uttar Pradesh, were in the ‘severe plus’ category. Baghpat and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh recorded air quality in the ‘severe’ category, according to The Hindu.

According to the AQEWS for Delhi, air quality is likely to be in the ‘very poor’ category from December 15 to December 17 and the subsequent six days.