Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category on Tuesday morning, with the citywide Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 259, even as temperatures surged past seasonal norms. The twin pressures of pollution and an early heat spike are raising fresh concerns about urban resilience, public health preparedness and the capital’s long-term climate adaptation strategy.
Data released by the Central Pollution Control Board showed several monitoring stations reporting readings in the upper end of the ‘poor’ band, while multiple neighbourhoods slipped into the ‘very poor’ range. Industrial and high-density residential pockets in north and east Delhi recorded some of the highest levels, indicating uneven pollution distribution across the city. The persistence of elevated Delhi air quality readings comes despite the winter peak having passed. Urban planners note that transitional months such as February often expose structural weaknesses in emission control including vehicular congestion, construction dust and regional pollution inflows particularly when wind speeds remain low.
On Monday, the capital had already recorded an AQI of 218, with a majority of monitoring stations falling within the ‘poor’ category. The recurrence of unhealthy air over consecutive days underscores how quickly environmental gains can reverse without sustained mitigation measures. Simultaneously, the city witnessed an unusually warm February day, with maximum temperatures climbing above 31°C around seven degrees higher than the seasonal average. Meteorological data suggests this is the earliest instance in recent years of temperatures crossing the 30°C threshold in mid-February. Forecasts indicate that warm and clear conditions are likely to persist, though a western disturbance later in the week may bring light rainfall and gusty winds.
Climate experts observe that rising temperatures can aggravate ground-level ozone formation and secondary pollutants, complicating the Delhi air quality profile. Heat stress combined with polluted air also intensifies respiratory and cardiovascular risks, particularly for children, elderly residents and outdoor workers. The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500 and categorises pollution exposure by health impact. Levels between 201 and 300 are classified as ‘poor’, where prolonged exposure can cause breathing discomfort. Readings above 300 enter the ‘very poor’ bracket, increasing the risk of respiratory illness even among healthy individuals.
For a city positioning itself as a hub of economic growth and real estate expansion, sustained pollution episodes pose reputational and productivity challenges. Developers and infrastructure planners are increasingly under pressure to adopt dust-control norms, low-emission construction practices and green mobility integration within new projects. Urban policy specialists argue that long-term improvement in Delhi air quality will depend on coordinated regional action, electrified public transport, decentralised renewable energy adoption and strict enforcement of emission standards. Without systemic change, episodic weather relief may offer only temporary respite. As the capital transitions towards warmer months, the interplay between climate variability and pollution will remain a defining test for Delhi’s ambition to build a healthier, climate-resilient urban future.
Delhi AQI spikes as heat rises
