The residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to severe cold, haze, and 'hazardous' air quality on Tuesday, with most AQI stations touching 500-mark (severe plus). According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),

The AQI in Delhi-NCR is in the ‘severe plus’ category. AQI between 0-50 is considered “good”, 51-100 is “satisfactory”, 101-200 is “moderate”, 201-300 is “poor”, 301-400 is “very poor”, 401-500 is “severe” and above 500 is a “severe plus”.

Northern India is grappling with a severe air quality crisis as pollution levels skyrocket across major cities. The situation is particularly dire in Delhi, Mumbai, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached alarming levels, posing significant health risks.

India's capital city of Delhi has virtually shut down as air pollution hit "severe plus" levels, according to Indian government officials in its pollution control authority.

Delhi recorded air pollution more than 17 times above an acceptable level as worsening smog triggered curbs on trucking and shuttered construction sites and schools.

A 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 488 (severe) was recorded at 8am compared to 494 at 4pm on Monday, the joint-second highest ever in the Capital

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI), as per ANI, spiked to 428 at 8 am, firmly placing it in the "severe" category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)