A dog sits on a pavement while it rained heavily on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday stated that Delhi has recorded its best average air quality for May in the last seven years, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 170. This marks the cleanest May since 2018, barring the lockdown-affected years of 2020 and 2021.

According to CAQM data, May’s average AQI in the past seven years was 217 in 2018, 221 in 2019, 212 in 2022, 171 in 2023 and 223 in 2024. “The cleaner air has been aided by favourable meteorological conditions and efforts by different stakeholders,” the CAQM said.

The dip in the air pollution levels this year coincides with Delhi’s wettest May on record, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. The Capital received 188.9 mm of rainfall, which is 202% above the normal average of 62.6 mm for the month.

Meanwhile, there has been a modest improvement in the average AQI this year between January and May at 214, which is slightly better than 231 in 2024 and 238 and 235 in 2022 and 2021 respectively.

“January-May in 2025 did not witness even a single day with an average AQI of more than 400. There were 3, 7, 2, 5, 1, 3 and 3 such days during the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively,” the air quality monitoring body said.

CAQM assured that efforts would be intensified to improve air quality in the city. “CAQM is working closely with various stakeholders concerned to take effective measures for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution and to improve the air quality in Delhi-NCR and efforts would be intensified in an endeavour to improve upon the air quality scenario in Delhi in the coming days.” the CAQM said in a statement.