Delhi AQI — Live
The number above is Delhi’s current US-EPA AQI, calculated from PM2.5 readings via IQAir. Below the live number: what it means right now, the threshold reference, and what actually works to protect indoor air.
What this AQI value means right now
| AQI | Category | What it means for your day |
|---|---|---|
| 0–50 | Good | Open windows. Outdoor exercise fine. Rare in Delhi. |
| 51–100 | Satisfactory | Sensitive groups (kids, elderly, asthma) should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. |
| 101–150 | Moderate | Unhealthy for sensitive groups. Limit outdoor time for kids; close windows. |
| 151–200 | Poor | Unhealthy for everyone. Run any indoor air filtration you have. |
| 201–300 | Very Poor | Reduce outdoor exposure for everyone. Mask outdoors. Indoor PM2.5 likely elevated unless you have active filtration. |
| 301+ | Severe | Stay indoors with active filtration. WHO 24-hour PM2.5 guideline of 15 µg/m³ is being exceeded by 20× or more. |
The WHO recommends PM2.5 below 15 µg/m³ averaged over 24 hours. Delhi’s annual average sits around 100 µg/m³ — roughly 7× the guideline.
Why Delhi air is the way it is
Delhi’s airshed concentrates PM2.5 from multiple sources year-round:
- Vehicle emissions — 1.2+ crore registered vehicles, dense traffic on the Ring Road and major arterials
- Construction dust — perpetual development across NCR, particularly in winter when wind speeds drop
- Stubble burning (Oct-Nov) — Punjab and Haryana farms burn paddy residue; northwesterly winds carry the smoke south to Delhi
- Industrial and waste-burning emissions — surrounding industrial zones in NCR
- Power plants and brick kilns — within a 100 km radius of Delhi
- Geographic trap — winter inversions (still air + cold layer) hold pollution near ground level for days
Monsoon (June–September) provides partial relief — rain washes out larger PM10 dust, but PM2.5 (the harmful fraction) is too small to be efficiently rained out. Indoor air remains a problem through monsoon too, just less acutely than winter.
Indoor air in Delhi homes — the data parents miss
In a typical Delhi NCR apartment with doors and windows closed, indoor PM2.5 typically tracks outdoor PM2.5 with a 1–2 hour lag. That means when outdoor AQI is 200, your indoor air is sitting around 80–150 µg/m³ — well above WHO guidelines.
CO₂ adds a second problem most people don’t measure. Closed bedrooms with two adults sleeping reach 1,500–2,500 ppm CO₂ by morning. Above 1,000 ppm cognitive performance drops measurably; sleep quality degrades.
The most-asked questions:
- “Are air purifiers enough?” No. They reduce PM2.5 in one room but cannot reduce CO₂. Full breakdown.
- “Can I just open windows when AQI is low?” Briefly, yes. But Delhi rarely sits below AQI 50 outside of monsoon — and indoor air re-pollutes within 30 minutes of any window opening.
- “What works year-round?” A whole-home positive-pressure fresh air system: pulls outdoor air through H13 HEPA filtration, pumps it in continuously, pressurises the home so polluted air leaks out rather than in.
What aqi0 does
We install positive-pressure fresh air systems for Indian homes. Indoor PM2.5 stays below 10 µg/m³ with fresh filters. CO₂ flushes continuously below 1,000 ppm. One unit covers up to 2,000 sq ft (a typical 2–4 BHK).
| Item | All-in (incl. 18% GST) |
|---|---|
| Fresh Air System (installed) | ₹70,000 + GST (₹82,600 all-in) |
| Annual AMC | ₹12,500 + GST (₹14,750/year all-in) |
Bundle perk: the aqi0 AQI monitor (₹6,000) is included free when AMC is signed on the same invoice as the system.
Same pricing across Delhi NCR. Installation, ducting, electrical, and louver are included. .
Where we’ve installed in South Delhi
- Saket / Anupam Apartments
- Kailash Colony
- Hauz Khas / SDA Market
- Gadaipur
Browse Delhi NCR locations → · Browse Gurugram locations →
Related reading
- PM2.5 safe levels in India — WHO vs CPCB explained
- How to reduce PM2.5 at home in India
- Delhi pollution: the home solution
- Air pollution and children’s health in India
- Are air purifiers enough for Delhi pollution?
Frequently asked questions about Delhi AQI
What is Delhi’s AQI today?
The live number at the top of this page is Delhi’s current air quality index, calculated from real-time PM2.5 readings via IQAir. It refreshes hourly. Delhi’s annual average AQI sits around 200 (Poor); winter peaks regularly cross 400 (Severe).
What is a safe AQI level in Delhi?
The WHO guideline for PM2.5 is 15 µg/m³ averaged over 24 hours, which corresponds to an AQI under about 50. India’s CPCB classifies AQI 0–50 as “Good.” Delhi rarely sees these readings outside of monsoon months. Indoors, with active fresh-air filtration, PM2.5 below 10 µg/m³ is achievable year-round regardless of outdoor AQI.
Why is Delhi’s AQI so high?
Five overlapping sources keep Delhi’s airshed loaded year-round: vehicle emissions from 1.2+ crore registered vehicles, perpetual construction dust, paddy-residue stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana (peaks Oct–Nov), industrial emissions from surrounding NCR zones, and a winter geographic trap where cold-layer inversions hold pollution near the ground for days at a time. Monsoon partially clears PM10 but not PM2.5.
Does Delhi’s AQI improve at night?
Marginally. Outdoor PM2.5 typically drops 10–20% overnight as traffic and construction quiet down, but stubble-burning smoke and trapped particulates persist. Indoor PM2.5 actually rises at night in closed bedrooms — combined with CO₂ accumulation from breathing (1,500–2,500 ppm by morning), this is when poor air quality does most damage to sleep and cognition.
What can I do about Delhi’s AQI in my home?
Three options ranked by effectiveness: (1) a positive-pressure fresh air system pulls outdoor air through H13 HEPA filtration and pressurises the home, keeping indoor PM2.5 below 10 µg/m³ and CO₂ below 1,000 ppm continuously; (2) room air purifiers reduce PM2.5 in one room but cannot reduce CO₂; (3) sealing windows alone helps briefly but indoor air re-pollutes within 30 minutes of any opening. Only option 1 solves the year-round problem for the whole home.
What Delhi could look like
India Gate sharp on the horizon, kites in a clear sky, picnics on the lawn. aqi0 is the indoor half of that future, working today.
Get a quote
Call +91 96676 72740 or WhatsApp wa.me/919667672740 for a free site survey. Most installations complete in one site visit.