New Delhi's air quality has plummeted to alarming levels, with smog significantly reducing visibility and pushing the AQI above 450. Stubble burning, traffic, and industrial emissions are blamed.

Soaring air pollution in India's capital, New Delhi, has reached“hazardous” levels this week, causing state officials to lim

Whatever the causes of the smog, by one ranking Delhi was not just the most polluted city in the world, but “nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka,” in Bangladesh next door, as Shashi Tharoor, a leader of the opposition in Parliament and best-selling author, posted on X.

Hundreds of millions of Indians breathe some of the world’s most toxic air all year round. Air pollution in the capital area that’s home to about 30 million people is especially stubborn. In winter, the cold weather actually makes the smog even worse — and potent.

Unhealthy

A thick, toxic smog has enveloped India's capital, home to more than 33 million people. One technology firm which monitors air pollution ranked New Delhi as the most polluted city in the world.

The AQI in Delhi remained in the severe category from Monday to Wednesday last week and thereafter witnessed slight improvement on Thursday and Friday. However, it deteriorated to the severe category on Saturday.