Delhi is getting a rare “blue sky” Christmas today, Thursday, December 25, 2025. The air quality index (AQI) finally dipped to 220—firmly in the ‘poor’ category. For any other city, that’s a crisis, but for Delhi, after weeks of choking in the ‘severe’ 400s, it feels like a holiday miracle.
The thing is, we have the winds to thank. Blistering surface winds of 15 to 25 kmph have been sweeping through the NCR, basically acting like a giant broom for all that toxic smog. Or nothing. Let’s be real, it’s mostly just nature giving us a 24-hour pass. Those too.
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The Current Snapshot (Dec 25)
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The AQI: Sitting at 220 as of this morning. Compare that to Tuesday’s soul-crushing 412.
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The Hotspots: Anand Vihar is still the outlier at 308 (Very Poor), but 29 other stations have finally moved out of the red zone.
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The Weather: It’s a crisp 6.5°C out there—a notch below normal—so if you’re heading out for Christmas lunch, definitely layer up.
GRAP Update: The Restrictions Ease
And here’s the kicker: with the air clearing up, the CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management) officially revoked GRAP Stage-IV yesterday evening.
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What’s back: Non-essential trucks (LNG/CNG/BS-VI) can enter the city again.
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What’s still banned: Don’t get too excited—GRAP Stage-III is still in force. That means the ban on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars stays. Also, most private construction is still a no-go.
The “Short-Lived” Reality
It’s an ongoing situation where the forecast looks a bit grim for the weekend. The winds are expected to die down by tonight, and the AQI is likely to slip back into the ‘very poor’ (300+) range by tomorrow, December 26.
Essentially, enjoy the clear-ish air today while it lasts. By the time the New Year’s Eve parties start, we’ll likely be back to looking at the world through a grey filter.
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