New Delhi, Oct. 1 -- Delhi breathed worst air in the first nine months of 2026 than in the same period last year, even as the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) omitted the January-September average from its latest air-quality assessment, according to an analysis of official pollution data.
Using the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) daily 4 PM AQI bulletins, the analysis puts Delhi's January-September 2026 average AQI at 167.6, up from 164.3 in 2025. The January-August average also rose, to 175.7 from 171.7.
Citing the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) daily 4 PM AQI bulletins, the analysis said Delhi recorded an average AQI of 167.6 between January and September 2026, compared with 164.3 during the corresponding ...