Compared to the corresponding 2016 period with 110 good-to-moderate days, the 2026 figure of 211 days represented a gain of 101 days, according to Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who attributed this to combined efforts by authorities, institutions, and the public. The number of days with poor, very poor, or severe air quality during the same period fell from 168 to 79.
Comparison with previous years
According to Sirsa, Delhi with more than two months remaining in the year has already surpassed the total good-to-moderate days of most previous complete years: 200 days in 2025, 209 in 2024, 206 in 2023, 159 in 2018, and 110 in 2016. The average particulate pollution PM2.5 from January through September 28, 2026, measured 69 micrograms per cubic meter, matching the previous year and lower than values of 81 in 2024, 73 in 2023, and 80 in 2022.
Government's stated measures
Sirsa explained that the government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta pursued a coordinated approach to air pollution, with sustained efforts showing initial positive results. Measures included mechanical street cleaning, water spraying, anti-smog cannons, dust management at construction sites, stricter monitoring of industrial emissions, prevention of open burning, and expansion of electric public transportation. The recently inaugurated AI-powered Integrated Command and Control Centre strengthened real-time monitoring, inter-agency coordination, and complaint resolution. On-site inspections and accountability mechanisms were intensified, with no facility exempt from environmental standards compliance. Public participation remained a cornerstone of the strategy through information campaigns and collaboration with resident and market associations and educational institutions.
An alternative calculation: average air quality index
The analysis by Hawa Ka Hisab calculated based on daily Central Pollution Control Board bulletins a mean air quality index of 167.6 for January through September 2026, compared to 164.3 for the same 2025 period. For January through August, the value stood at 175.7 versus 171.7 the previous year. July 2026 recorded an average of 117.8 compared to 78.4 in July 2025, marking the worst July since 2019. Based on 39 monitoring stations reporting in both years, the index reached the maximum value of 500 at 796 station-hours in 2026 versus 256 in 2025; during these hours, PM2.5 averaged 439 micrograms per cubic meter, roughly 29 times the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline. The analysis also questioned official claims of lowest PM2.5 levels, noting that the Commission for Air Quality Management's own publications listed identical values of 69 micrograms per cubic meter for both 2025 and 2026. Congress politician Ajay Maken called for publication of missing monthly statistics, longer-term comparisons, and correction of the lowest PM2.5 claim.
The limitations of averaging
The Central Pollution Control Board's October 18 daily bulletin reported an air quality index of 187 in the moderate category for Delhi, measured as a 24-hour average across 58 of 59 stations. The agency itself notes that averaging across multiple monitoring stations lacks scientific foundation and is used for simplicity; in the moderate category, the agency notes that breathing difficulties may occur in people with respiratory, asthma, or heart disease.
Sirsa: the real test comes in winter
Sirsa himself cautioned that the actual test of these measures lies ahead during the coming winter months, when unfavorable weather conditions and lower wind speeds could degrade air quality. Under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's guidance, a winter action plan with prevention protocols was already announced to maintain progress through strict implementation. The government committed to continued intensive on-site monitoring, regular inspections, and strict enforcement throughout the winter season. September data underscored the challenge: the month's mean air quality index stood at 102, remaining in the moderate category, though the number of poor days from January through September 2026 reached its lowest level in five years at 79.