The millennium city recorded 229,964 new vehicle registrations between March 2025 and April 2026 — its highest tally since 2019 — up nearly 15% from approximately 201,000 in the same period in 2024 -25.

Unlikely to mix down into the air layer that people breathe, says IMD

Out of the 38 monitoring stations in the city, 37 record 'very poor' air quality with readings above 300

Process ‘highly dependent on right atmospheric conditions’: IIT-Kanpur

Two slight precipitation events recorded in Noida, Greater Noida, but no rain

Ground report: BJP, MCD officials deny charge, say part of routine dust-control measures

BJP, MCD officials deny charge, say part of routine dust-control measures

For experts, anything above the threshold is detrimental no matter which air index people rely on.

As Diwali nears, the Supreme Court has allowed sale and bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR for a limited period. These are fireworks made to emit less pollution and toxic gases. But experts caution that even with reduced emissions, the sheer number of crackers may still harm air quality.

For experts, the experiment lacks rationale in absence of cutting emissions at the source