The pollution in the national capital and Gurugram remained in the `very poor` category as Noida touched the 'severe'category on Tuesday with the Air Quality Index (AQI) docking at 376, according to the Center-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research(SAFAR).

The AQI was recorded the highest in Mathura Road at 394, followed by Chandani Chowk at 393, Dhirpur at 388, Ayanagr at 385, Delhi University at382, IIT Delhi at 369, Airport at 366, Pusa at 365, and Lodhi Road at 360. TheAQI in Noida stood at 416 and at Gurugram at 396. The AQI in Ghaziabad'sIndirapuram (441), Anand Vihar (441) and Rohini (440) also dipped to 'severe'category'.The major pollutants of PM2.5 and PM10 were at 456 (severe) and 287(poor) respectively in Lodhi Road monitoring system, according to AQI data.

SAFAR had said that the air quality is likely to improveslightly on Wednesday due to an increase in wind speed. According to SAFAR,there is no estimate of rain for the next few days. But the sky will remaincloudy.According to the air quality forecast by the Central Pollution ControlBoard (CPCB), air quality is likely to deteriorate on Tuesday and may reach thelower end of the severe category. The air quality is likely to improvemarginally on Wednesday and may remain in the upper end of the very poorcategory.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), alight fog will be seen on Tuesday and the next two days. Due to this, the levelof pollution is likely to reach a serious level.

The Odd-Even scheme, which was implemented in the nationalcapital due to a spike in pollution, will not be applicable on Tuesday due tothe celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. To ensurethe hassle-free commute on the occasion of the Sikh festival, the ArvindKejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) decided to do away with the trafficrationalising scheme for Monday and Tuesday.

Earlier, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had saidthat the AAP government was considering giving relaxation or exemption from theodd-even scheme on these days so as to make the travel of a large number ofdevotees who are planning to visit Delhi during the Guru Parv.

On November 8, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwalannounced that the commuters in the national capital will not have to face theOdd-Even restrictions on November 11-12. "The decision came after peoplefrom the Sikh community requested the government to relax the rules as theycelebrate the birth anniversary of their religion`s founder on November12," CM Kejriwal had said.

The Delhi government ordered for plying of vehicles underthe Odd-Even scheme from November 4-15. The penalty for violating the Odd-Eventraffic movement rule has been doubled in 2018 by fixing it at Rs 4,000 ascompared to the previous editions of the scheme. The scheme had been introducedin Delhi for the first time in January 2016 with an aim to curb the number ofcars on roads and to limit the pollution caused by them. It is applicable inDelhi from Monday to Saturday between 8 am and 8 pm.