**Executive Summary**
This document from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provides an update on the air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR. It reports the lowest average Air Quality Index (AQI) for the January-November period in the last 8 years, excluding the COVID lockdown period in 2020. The data indicates improved levels of both PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations compared to previous years.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Overall AQI Improvement:** Delhi-NCR continues to show an improving trend in overall air quality.
* The average AQI for Delhi during January-November 2025 is recorded as 187, the lowest in 8 years (excluding 2020).
* **Days with High AQI:** There has been a significant reduction in the number of days with high AQI.
* Only 3 days with a daily average AQI over 400 ('Severe to Severe+' categories) in January-November 2025.
* No days with daily average AQI more than 450 ('Severe+') were recorded in the same period.
* **PM2.5 and PM10 Levels:** The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations have decreased.
* Lowest levels of PM2.5 concentration in Delhi compared to the corresponding period since 2018 (at par with 2020). Delhi has witnessed PM2.5 average of 85 µg/m3.
* Lowest levels of PM10 concentration in Delhi compared to the corresponding period since 2018 (barring 2020). Delhi has recorded an average of 183 µg/m3.
* **CAQM Efforts:** The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is actively involved.
* CAQM is working closely with stakeholders to prevent, control, and abate air pollution.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholders: Delhi-NCR Residents**
* **Impact**: Improved air quality leads to better public health outcomes and a more livable environment.
* **Action Required**: Continue supporting and adhering to air quality improvement initiatives and guidelines.
**Stakeholders: Government and Regulatory Bodies (including CAQM)**
* **Impact**: Positive validation of ongoing air quality management strategies and motivation to further enhance efforts.
* **Action Required**: Intensify efforts to improve air quality, work closely with stakeholders, and maintain effective measures for prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution.
Key Entities Referenced
Delhi-NCR: The geographical region comprising Delhi and its surrounding National Capital Region, which is the focus of the air quality improvement efforts.
Air Quality Index (AQI): A metric used to measure and report air quality, used to assess the severity of air pollution in Delhi.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The government ministry responsible for environmental protection and climate change policies.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): The commission is working to improve the air quality in Delhi-NCR.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Continued Improvement in Air Quality Scenario
of Delhi-NCR
Lowest average AQI for January-November witnessed in last
8 years except during COVID Lockdown period; Only 3 Days
with Daily Average AQI over 400 in 2025
प्रव तथ: 30 NOV 2025 8:01PM by PIB Delhi
The improving trend in the overall air quality of Delhi-NCR continues and for the period between January
– November during the current year, Delhi registers its lowest ever average AQI (Air Quality Index) for
the period between January – November, during the 8 years i.e., from 2018 to 2025 (barring 2020 – the
year of lockdown due to COVID).
The average AQI of Delhi for the period January – November during the current year has been recorded as
187 as against 201 in 2024, 190 in 2023, 199 in 2022, 197 in 2021, 172 in 2020, 203 in 2019 and 213 in
2018 respectively, during the corresponding period.
This period of January – November, 2025 witnessed just 3 days with daily average AQI more than 400
(‘Severe to Severe+’ categories). There were 11 such days in 2024, 12 days in 2023, 4 days in 2022, 17
days in 2021, 11 days in 2020, 16 days in 2019 and 12 such days in 2018, respectively.
Moreover, this year has not recorded any day with daily average AQI more than 450 (‘Severe+’) so far.
There were 2 such days (AQI>450) in 2024, 2 days in 2023, 0 days in 2022, 3 days in 2021, 2 days in
2020, 5 days in 2019 and 0 days in 2018.
The period from January – November (upto 27th November) has seen the lowest levels of PM2.5
concentration in Delhi compared to the corresponding period since 2018, which is also at par with the year
2020 (the year of lockdown due to COVID). Delhi has witnessed PM2.5 average of 85 µg/m3 in the
current year as against 98 in 2024, 90 in 2023, 90 in 2022, 95 in 2021, 85 in 2020, 99 in 2019 and 103 in
2018 respectively.
Likewise, the period January – November (upto 27th November) also witnessed the lowest levels of PM10
concentration in Delhi compared to the corresponding period since 2018 (barring 2020 – the year of
lockdown due to COVID). Delhi has recorded an average of 183 µg/m3 in the current year as against 205
in 2024, 193 in 2023, 202 in 2022, 200 in 2021, 167 in 2020, 210 in 2019 and 228 in 2018.
CAQM is working closely with various stakeholders to take effective measures for prevention, control and
abatement of air pollution and to improve the air quality in Delhi-NCR. These efforts would be intensified
with an endeavour to further improve upon the air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR in the coming days.
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इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही