Delhi's 'severe' air quality leaves residents gasping for breath

Flights and trains delayed, leaving passengers stranded, with visibility of 500 metres at city's airport

Smog in New Delhi on Thursday, where the air quality deteriorated to “severe” levels. AFP

New Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to “severe” levels on Thursday as dense toxic smog lingered in the Indian capital.

The average air quality reading breached 400 – the threshold to be considered “severe” – according to India’s Central Pollution Control Board. The city's Anand Vihar area recorded a score of 470, while several other locations averaged 430. Any figure above 301 is considered hazardous.

Visibility also dropped, affecting both flights and trains, leaving passengers stranded. The visibility at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, the busiest in the country, dropped to 500 metres and that 300 flights were delayed, according to flight tracker website Flightradar24. Airport authorities urged passengers to contact their airlines for updates. IndiGo Airlines issued a similar advisory to passengers.

Several social media users posted images of the India Gate war memorial in central Delhi shrouded in smog. Residents complained of headaches, burning eyes and throat, and breathlessness as they demanded India's government take action.

“What is the government doing to handle this crisis?” Delhi resident Aditi Singh said to The National. “We are unable to breathe, our eyes are stinging and nothing is visible. This has become a routine every winter but government fails to handle the pollution situation.”

The city of 22 million people has been grappling with alarming pollution levels since October. Thursday's “severe” air quality reading followed a “very poor” rating on Wednesday.

The city suffers from high pollution all year round, but levels generally surge in November as winter approaches and wind pushes smoke from farms into the city. Pollution also surges due to the millions of fireworks set off by revellers to mark the Hindu festival of Diwali.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai met other departments on Thursday to discuss the issue. He said: “There is a possibility of improvement in the pollution level from tomorrow. If the pollution again goes into the 'severe' category then the Delhi government will take all the necessary steps and will work together with the people of Delhi.”

Mr Rai’s ministry has tried measures to tackle the smog in recent years, including switching to electric buses and suspending construction projects. But air pollution remains at dangerous levels.