Delhi air quality reaches 'satisfactory' levels for first time in 2019, but foggy weather in Delhi delays 21 trains

New Delhi: The torrential downpour witnessed in Delhi has brought the much-needed respite from toxic air, as air quality improved sharply for the first time in 2019.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was docking at 85 on Wednesday morning, ranging in the ‘satisfactory’ category for the first time in a span of four months, after a long period of oscillation between ‘poor’ and ‘hazardous’ categories.

The minimum and maximum temperature in Delhi will hover around 10 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius respectively. Moderate fog will prevail throughout the region with wind speed 10 kilometres per hour and humidity 96 percent.

Due to foggy weather, as many as 21 trains were rescheduled after getting delayed for at least by 2 hours. The Ranchi-New Delhi Garib Rath, Islampur-New Delhi-Magadh Express, Vaishali Express were delayed by two and a half hours each.

The Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express, Darbhanga Delhi Bihar S Kranti, Howrah-New Delhi- Poorva and Azamgarh-Delhi Kaifiyat Express were delayed by 6 hours, 4 hours, 3 and a half hours and 2 and a half hours, respectively.

The region witnessed a spike in pollution levels during the winter when weather conditions lead to the trapping of pollutants near the surface, and crop residue burning adds to the menace.

According to Mahesh Palawat, VP-Meteorology, Skymet Weather, “Widespread rains were not limited to Delhi but to entire northwestern plains. Thus, pollutants have settled down all over the places. Thus, any immediate spike in air pollution is not likely. With these rains moderate in nature, they would not let pollutants settle down. Also, we are not expecting any weather system in quick succession that could change the wind pattern.”

For the next couple of days, Delhi’s air quality is likely to switch between ‘satisfactory’ and ‘moderate’ pollution levels. Although rains will fade away in the next 48 hours, the national capital region (NCR) will witness northwesterly winds thereafter.