Feb 2, 2026: ‘Very poor’ AQI, no relief for Delhi’s street vendors

For this episode of Aaj Ka AQI, Newslaundry visited one of Saket’s busiest traffic intersections, with crowds and street vendors lining the road, many of them without masks.

Our air monitor pegged the AQI at 364, or in the “very poor” category. PM2.5 stood at 204 while PM10 was recorded at 215. 

A recent report by Dialogue Earth had highlighted how conversations around Delhi’s air pollution routinely overlook its impact on working-class communities.  Over 80 percent of Delhi’s workforce is deployed in the informal sector, according to a study by Greenpeace India. While a small, privileged section of the city shuts its windows and switches on air purifiers, a vast majority of the population which is working on the streets simply cannot afford that protection. Clean air has become a luxury.

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.