Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) on Tuesday evening slipped to the 'severe' category for the first time this year with a reading of 428. The deterioration in the air quality prompted authorities to impose Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the national capital and the National Capital Region (NCR).

The air quality, which was 'very poor' for the past several days, slipped into the 'severe' zone (425) early Tuesday as stagnant weather conditions and local emissions contributed to a spike in pollution levels.

This is the first time this year that Delhi's AQI has entered the 'severe' range. The last time the city's air quality was this bad was in December 2024, the CPCB data showed.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate,

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