India, March 16 -- Delhi's air quality improved to the "satisfactory" category on Saturday for the first time since September 29, 2024, aided by scattered rain and occasional gusty winds that impacted the region from Friday, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to revoke Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan.

Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 85 (satisfactory) at 4pm on Saturday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's daily national bulletin, a significant improvement from Friday's 198 (moderate). It was 179 (moderate) on Thursday and 228 (poor) on Wednesday. On September 29 last year, Delhi's AQI was 76 (satisfactory).

"There has been widespread rain in northwest India for the la...