While a thick blanket of haze covered the National Capital Region (NCR) for the sixth day in a row, the air quality in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram reached "alarmingly high" levels. Even on Tuesday morning,

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.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) highlighted that areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in Delhi recorded AQI levels of 500 by 5 a.m., underscoring the severity of the situation.

As recorded on Tuesday morning, the AQI of Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahagirpuri, Mundka, Rohini, Vivek Vihar, Wazirpur and Narela exceeded 500-mark.

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.

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)