Smog Returns to Delhi: AQI Rises to 295 as Government Bans Old Polluting Trucks
Delhi is once again engulfed in a thick layer of smog, with air quality deteriorating sharply after a brief improvement. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 295 near India Gate this evening, placing it in the “poor” category. The iconic monument was barely visible as pollution levels surged again following a short-lived relief after Diwali.
Just a day earlier, the AQI had shown signs of improvement, dropping from 373 to 218 due to increased rainfall and wind speed in the region. However, the air quality has worsened once more, alarming residents and prompting authorities to take stricter action. To combat the pollution, the Delhi government has implemented a ban on old, smoke-emitting goods vehicles—specifically BS-III and older models—entering the city from Saturday onwards.
The Delhi Transport Department, along with the Traffic Police, has formed 23 special teams stationed at major entry points such as Kundli, Rajokari, Tikri, Aya Nagar, and Kalindi Kunj to enforce the ban. Officials estimate that around 50,000 to 70,000 such vehicles are affected. Meanwhile, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has intensified the winter action plan, ordering more traffic personnel to ease congestion and deploying anti-smog guns and water-spraying machines at pollution hotspots across the capital.
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