Delhi's air quality hits new low; PM2.5 levels triple
Delhi landed at number six among India's most polluted cities in October 2025, with PM2.5 levels averaging 107 ug/m3—almost triple what the city saw in September.
Pollution was even worse in places like Dharuhera, Haryana (123 ug/m3), and other NCR spots like Ghaziabad and Noida weren't far behind.
Stubble burning less than 6% of pollution
Surprisingly, stubble burning made up less than 6% of Delhi's pollution this time. Most of the bad air came from vehicles, industrial pollution, and dust.
Only six out of 249 Indian cities met the WHO's safe air standards—and none were in North India.
Fewer cities had "Good" air days, while "Moderate" or worse became the new normal for October.
Year-round action needed to tackle pollution
This was Delhi's second-worst October for air quality in five years—even with some rain to help clear things up.
The data is a reminder that quick fixes aren't enough; real change will take year-round action on all sources of pollution.