Chandni Chowk is among least polluted spots in Delhi, reason is...

Delhi’s air quality has shown improvement over the past few days, but pollution levels remain a concern. According to data from pollution control boards, the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday was “poor.” This was better than Sunday’s AQI of 311, which fell in the “very poor” category.

Among the 40 air quality monitoring stations, Chandni Chowk recorded an AQI of 186, the lowest in the city, indicating relatively cleaner air. However, Nehru Nagar and Shadipur faced severe pollution, with AQIs of 335 and 320, respectively.

Experts credit the improvement to new traffic restrictions and favourable weather conditions. 

Chandni Chowk, a busy tourist hub, has benefited significantly from these measures. A detailed study of vehicle movement identified heavy polluting vehicles as a key contributor to local pollution. According to an Indian Express report, Shashank Jaiswal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), claims vehicles, including those violating GRAP, BS III, and BS IV norms, are now banned during the day. Heavy vehicles are allowed only at regulated hours, and a task force has been deployed to enforce these rules.

Dr Sachin D Ghude, senior scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, told Indian Express the role of traffic restrictions in improving air quality in Chandni Chowk. He noted that long-term data indicates this area generally has better air quality due to effective regulation.

According to the report, Dr Ghude also pointed out that stations like Anand Vihar and ITO, located near traffic-heavy intersections, often report higher pollution levels that may not represent the city’s overall air quality. He suggested relocating such monitoring stations to obtain more accurate data for assessing broader conditions.