Delhi schools, colleges to reopen from 29 November as air quality improves

Delhi to reopen schools, colleges from 29 November as the air quality in the national capital is witnessing an improve, announced environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday.

The minister also added that normal functioning of Delhi government offices will also resume from 29 November. "We advise them to use public transport to commute. Special bus services will be started from colonies where the maximum number of Delhi govt employees reside," Rai said.

He also announced that he Delhi government has decided to allow the entry of all CNG, electric vehicles into Delhi from 27 November. The entry of all other vehicles to remain banned till 3rd December.

The decision comes after Rai on Monday announced that the Delhi government will take a call on the reopening of schools, work from home for government staff on November 24, Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the air quality significantly improved from the "very poor" to the "poor" category on Wednesday for the first time in the last 10 days, as per the System of Air Quality & Weather Forecasting & Research (SAFAR).

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 280 today.

Several areas in the national capital including ITO, Lodhi Road, and Mathura Road recorded air quality in "very poor" air with an AQI of 333, 303, and 346 while the AQI at Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri were in the "severe" category with an AQI 422 and 436 respectively.

As per the SAFAR, the PM 10 levels were recorded at 58 in the 'satisfactory' category and PM 2.5 levels were recorded at 38 in the 'satisfactory' category.

The air pollution level in the National Capital Region (NCR) fluctuated between "very poor" and "poor". Gurugram and Noida recorded AQI of 283 and 303 in the "poor" and "very poor" categories on Wednesday morning.