Jan 28, 2026: Despite rain, air quality remains ‘very poor’

For today’s episode of Aaj Ka AQI, we stood outside the Gopaldas building on Barakhamba Road, one of the city’s bustling economic hubs. The nearest official CPCB monitoring station at ITO recorded an AQI of 262, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. Our independent air quality monitor, however, recorded an AQI of 383, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. Despite the capital receiving light showers, the air remains polluted. 

As noted last week at the World Economic Forum by former IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath, air pollution is harming not only our health but also India’s economy. The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report puts a staggering price tag on India's toxic air: premature deaths are costing the country nearly $339 billion – about 9.5 percent of our GDP.

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This show is part of a collaborative campaign to tackle air pollution. Here’s how you can join the Fight To Breathe. Click here to power this campaign.