New Delhi

Delhi recorded its cleanest air for the January-May period in eight years, excluding the Covid-affected year of 2020, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) improving to 211 this year, according to data shared by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday.

In a post on X, the CAQM said the average AQI reading during the first five months of 2026 stood at 211, compared with 214 during the corresponding period in 2025, 231 in 2024, 213 in 2023, 238 in 2022, 235 in 2021, 237 in 2019 and 243 in 2018. The AQI had dropped to 181 in 2020 amid the Covid-19 lockdowns.

The commission also said Delhi's average AQI during May this year was the second-lowest recorded in the last eight years, excluding 2020 and 2021.

The capital recorded an average AQI of 157 in May 2026, an improvement over the 170 in May 2025, 223 in 2024, 171 in 2023, 212 in 2022, 221 in 2019 and 217 in 2018. The average AQI for May stood at 144 in both 2020 and 2021.

According to the CAQM, Delhi also witnessed a higher number of days with relatively cleaner air during the January-May period this year.

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The city recorded 75 days in the 'Good' to 'Moderate' AQI categories during the first five months of 2026, compared with 70 such days in 2025, 75 in 2024, 74 in 2023, 37 in 2022, 59 in 2021, 59 in 2019 and 44 in 2018. The figure was 98 in 2020, when movement and industrial activity were significantly restricted due to the pandemic.