As Delhi faces one of the worst air quality crises in its history, five-star hotels in the nation’s capital have started offering a new luxury that has become a necessity: clean air in their rooms.
Every day in November, the Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in the Very Poor category, with six days classified as severe and two days reaching alarming levels of severe plus.
In a glowing post on social media, American billionaire Brian Johnson shared a photo of a sign from the Oberoi Hotel, which boasts an average room air quality measurement of 2.4 thanks to advanced air filtration systems installed in every room. “The hotel is selling clean air as a service,” Johnson noted, highlighting the growing trend.
Indian engineer Debargia (Didi) Das, now working as an investor in the US, joined the conversation by posting a similar sign from the Taj Palace in New Delhi. The sign showed an AQI of 58 in their rooms, a significant difference from the city’s AQI of 397 that particular day.
Another user shared a snippet of a walk through Select City, saying, “Malls in Delhi will be bending too.”
This debate highlights a disturbing reality: in Delhi, access to clean air has become a premium service available primarily to those who can afford it.
The persistently high level of pollution is explained by a combination of factors, including adverse weather conditions. It had been a dry month in the city, and the low wind speed, along with an unfavorable wind direction, hindered the dispersion of pollutants, allowing them to accumulate in the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality improved on Thursday morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping to 161. This data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The city’s AQI had earlier moved to the ‘moderate’ category on Wednesday evening and the better air quality is expected to continue for the next two to three days.
At 8 am, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 161, an improvement from the previous day’s 178, but air quality remained “poor” in some areas, including RK Puram, Jahangirpur and Munda. In addition, there was a thin layer of smog, indicating the beginning of winter. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius along with fog in the air.
