Delhi chokes under toxic smog as air quality dips to 'severe' levels

A suffocating haze has once again descended upon the national capital, turning Delhi and its adjoining NCR cities into a gas chamber cloaked in an eerie, grey stillness. The city woke up on Monday beneath a thick blanket of smog, its skyline blurred and its air heavy with the acrid tang of pollution.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 372 at 7 am — a figure that falls squarely in the ‘severe’ category and signals grave danger to public health. Across the capital, monitoring stations flickered with ominous numbers — 300, 350, 390 — painting a picture of a metropolis gasping for breath.

The malaise stretched beyond Delhi’s borders: Faridabad recorded an AQI of 312, Ghaziabad 318, Greater Noida 325, Gurugram 328, and Noida 310. Together, they formed a toxic ring around the capital, each city wrapped in its own layer of smog.

Environmental experts warn that the air, thick with particulate matter and invisible poisons, can inflame lungs, sting eyes, and worsen chronic heart and respiratory diseases. Many residents complained of itchy throats and breathlessness as the smog lingered stubbornly through the day, turning even brief walks outdoors into acts of endurance.

AQI still 300+ and increasing

The riots have cleared, but the air hasn't! #AirPollution #DelhiPollution #IndiaGate #IndiaGateProtest #AirPollutionProtest pic.twitter.com/OFt1UJ6l9W

— AQI (@AQI_India) November 9, 2025

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Adding to the city’s discomfort, an early winter chill has crept in. The minimum temperature dipped to 11°C — over three degrees below normal — while the daytime high hovered around 27–28°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast clear skies and cold northwesterly winds at 15–20 km/h, lending the mornings and evenings a sharp, biting edge.

Meteorologists blame the choking air on a deadly mix of factors: falling temperatures, sluggish winds, rising humidity, and the steady drift of smoke from stubble fires in neighbouring states. The pollutants, trapped close to the ground, have nowhere to go — and Delhi continues to pay the price.

Despite bans on construction, curbs on vehicles, and the mechanical hum of anti-smog guns, the capital’s struggle for clean air feels Sisyphean. The haze returns year after year, dimming the sun and the spirits of its weary citizens.

Health experts have urged people, especially children and the elderly, to stay indoors, avoid morning walks, and wear N95 masks when stepping out. But for most Delhiites, there is little refuge.

As another winter of poisoned air begins, the city waits — for stronger winds, for cleansing rain, for a breath of air that doesn’t burn.

With IANS inputs