Best vs Worst Areas in Delhi for Air and Water Quality

Some sections of the city in Delhi are better off than others due to the availability of green space, being less congested, and the development of planned infrastructure. For example, Lutyens’ Delhi, Civil Lines, and Mayur Vihar Phase 1 are quite often mentioned as having very low levels of air pollution because of wider roads, many trees and lower levels of industrial activity.

Planned areas [like Dwarka and Rohini] have a more consistent supply of treated drinking water with less leakage from pipes compared to unplanned areas. Although these areas are contaminated with some pollutants, they are generally considered to be better places to live than the overall environment in Delhi, which is challenged by the presence of various sources of pollution.

Worst Areas: Pollution & Water Risk Hotspots

Some areas are consistently listed as being highly polluted and at a higher risk from a health and safety standpoint than other areas of Delhi.

Anand Vihar – This area is considered to be one of the most polluted, with the air quality index (AQI) often greater than four hundred (400).

Wazirpur and Jahangirpuri are very polluted because of the presence of a large number of people and manufacturing activities in the area.

Okhla is an area with a considerable amount of waste due to the mixing of industrial emissions and waste.

In terms of water quality, the following areas have recent reports demonstrating the presence of heavy metals (uranium and lead) in the groundwater.

Narela and Kanjhawala

Many areas of outer Delhi and many of the unplanned colonies do not have a reasonable supply of water from the municipal corporation; therefore, they must rely on groundwater or water tankers bringing them water, increasing their risk of contamination.

These contaminated areas of Delhi are the areas that have poor air quality and have unsafe drinking water, making them twofold areas with environmental health hazards.

Why the Gap Exists Across Delhi

Urban planning and infrastructure account for the variation in the best and worst areas.

Planned areas have better water pipelines, better vegetation cover, and less traffic congestion than industrial areas or densely populated areas, which experience more exhaust emissions and are less able to accommodate additional development. The outer areas of Delhi are reliant upon unclean ground water.

Overall, Delhi continues to be one of the most polluted cities in the world, with concentrations of PM2.5 that are many times higher than is safe for health and average air quality index (AQI) levels that are generally over 200 for most of the year.

Therefore, “the best” locations within Delhi are relatively less polluted than “the worst” locations but are still not clean by global standards.

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Final Words

Delhi is a city of contrasts where your location has a great impact on your level of exposure to pollution. Key Takeaway: Selecting the appropriate area to live will decrease your risk of exposure to air pollution; however, any long-term improvements will be determined by city-wide policies, infrastructure improvements, etc.

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