<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-delhi_curfew.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273" srcset="https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-delhi_curfew.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273 400w, https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-delhi_curfew.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551 800w" > Empty roads in New Delhi on Sunday, March 22. (Prem Bisht/TOI, BCCL, Delhi)

The stringent travel restrictions and shutting down of all the non-essential activities has brought about an enormous decline in the levels of nitrogen oxide—a pollutant produced due to combustion of fuel—all over India.

As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), nitrogen oxide levels in the atmosphere since March 5, 2020 have fallen by approximately 45% in Mumbai and Pune, and by 50% or so in Ahmedabad, as compared to the levels recorded in 2018 and 2019. While no significant change has been observed in Delhi so far, PM2.5 levels have been displaying a declining tendency.

Lockdown orders issued across the country, along with several other drastic measures taken by the governments to curb the spread of the deadly virus, have collectively reduced the number of vehicles on the road. Moreover, factories and industrial units have also been functioning at a bare minimum, if at all.

A recent statement by the World Meteorological Organisation read: "Efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic have reduced economic activity and led to localised improvements in the air quality. But it is too early to assess the implications for concentrations of greenhouse gases, which are responsible for long-term climate change."

In Delhi, a combination of novel coronavirus outbreak-related lockdown and favourable weather conditions has improved air quality to ‘satisfactory’ on Monday, March 23.

According to the SAFAR, Delhi has recorded an overall air quality index (AQI) of 92, which lies towards the higher end of the ‘satisfactory’ category (AQIs 51 to 100).

"The air quality is likely to slip into 'good' category soon. It is due to reduced vehicular traffic and rise in temperature," said Kuldeep Srivastava, who heads the regional meteorological centre at the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

However, SAFAR predicts that Delhi’s overall AQI is likely to undergo a slight deterioration, and drop to the lower end of ‘moderate’ (AQIs 101 to 200) by Tuesday, and stay there come Wednesday. But the pollution levels will remain lower than the capital's usual standards, thanks to the forecast of strong winds and unseasonal rainfall in and around Delhi between March 23-25.

(With inputs from IANS)

**

For COVID-19, weather & air quality updates on the go, download The Weather Channel App (on Android and iOS store). It's free!