Delhi AQI spikes to ‘very poor’ after Diwali; Punjabi Bagh and Wazirpur hit ‘severe’. Live CPCB readings, health advisory and what residents should do.
Delhi woke up to thick smog and a sharp deterioration in air quality on Oct 22, 2025, with the city-average AQI at 338 and many local stations reporting readings in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories. Punjabi Bagh (433) and Wazirpur (401) registered ‘severe’ scores while several other neighbourhoods — Ashok Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Vivek Vihar and Anand Vihar — showed ‘very poor’ levels above 350. These spikes followed Diwali fireworks and unfavourable weather conditions that trapped pollutants over the capital.
PM2.5 concentrations peaked around 675 during the worst hours — the highest exposure since 2021 — and 35 of Delhi’s 38 monitoring stations were in the red zone, underscoring immediate health risks for children, older adults and people with breathing or heart conditions. Data gaps were reported during the night when many CAAQMS stations recorded interruptions, leaving analysts to rely on partial station coverage for the Diwali window.
Officials have flagged stubble burning in neighbouring states, vehicle emissions and firecracker smoke as combined drivers; authorities had considered GRAP curbs as AQI neared dangerous levels. Residents should follow live CPCB updates, avoid strenuous outdoor activity, use N95 or equivalent masks if stepping out, run indoor air purifiers where possible, and keep windows closed during peak-smog hours. For SEO and search intent, target queries such as “Delhi AQI live update Oct 22 2025,” “which areas in Delhi most polluted after Diwali,” “PM2.5 peak 675 Diwali 2025,” and short keywords like “Delhi pollution today” and “AQI Delhi.”
