New Delhi: Patchy rain, strong winds and overcast skies brought brief relief to the national capital on Wednesday as temperatures dipped sharply after touching over 30°C earlier this week. The change in weather prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to lift Stage-2 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), even though Delhi’s air quality remained in the “poor” category.
According to official data, the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 214 at 4pm, marking the fifth consecutive day in the “poor” range. On Tuesday, the AQI was recorded at 249. CAQM said forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology suggested that AQI levels are likely to remain between “poor” and “moderate” in the coming days, allowing authorities to ease stricter curbs.
With Stage-2 lifted, restrictions such as the ban on entry of non-BS-6 interstate buses, higher parking fees, and limitations on diesel generator use in Delhi-NCR have been withdrawn. The city now falls under Stage-1 measures, which include routine anti-pollution steps like mechanised road sweeping and stricter enforcement of pollution control norms.
The Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 21.1°C on Wednesday, nearly 10 degrees lower than Tuesday’s 30.9°C. Light rainfall was reported across several stations, including Palam and Lodhi Road, accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph. However, IMD officials described the western disturbance behind the showers as “feeble,” warning that the respite would be short-lived.
Temperatures are expected to climb again from Thursday, with the mercury likely to touch 31-32°C by early next week, signaling a warm end to February.
