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.

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.

In several areas of the city, pollution levels were more than 50 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit. Forecasts say the poor air quality will continue into the week.

Unhealthy

Every year when winter arrives, India's capital region is choked by smog and smoke. However, seasonal crop burning fires in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana add to Delhi's air pollution. Unlike Mumbai,

Delhi is experiencing very poor air quality, with some areas reaching severe levels. The Air Quality Index numbers are above 300 and even above 400 in some locations. Lack of rainfall and emissions have worsened the situation.