Delhi air pollution: Visibility near-zero amid thick smog

Residents of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and surrounding areas woke up on Wednesday to a dense layer of smog, reducing visibility to nearly zero.

The air quality index (AQI) in Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category, with many residents experiencing breathing difficulties.

Delhi surpassed Lahore, Pakistan, to become the world’s most polluted city, according to Swiss group IQAir's live rankings, with an AQI exceeding 1,000  a level deemed hazardous.

However, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the AQI in Delhi’s Anand Vihar reached 413 at 10am, rising from 334 recorded at 4pm on Tuesday.

This smog, worsened by the season’s cold, signals a deterioration in pollution levels and raises health concerns for residents.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the pollution had reduced visibility to 100 metres (328 feet) in some places by around 8 am, news agency Reuters reported.