Severe pollution and dense fog make Delhi-NCR mornings hazardous

The Wednesday morning weather in Delhi-NCR brought extremely cold temperatures and heavy smog conditions which created dense fog causing difficulties for travellers.

Fog engulfs city from early morning

People heading out early for work and school and daily errands were seen struggling to find their way through the fog-covered streets.

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Vehicles crawl as drivers switch on headlights

Drivers moved their vehicles at reduced speeds because they needed to use headlights for making themselves visible in order to prevent accidents. The fog made it hard to see but people found it difficult to drive their vehicles because they needed headlights for navigating through the mist.

Traffic delays reported across NCR

The dense fog caused road traffic delays which affected multiple areas throughout Delhi and its surrounding cities in the National Capital Region.

Drivers needed to operate their vehicles with extreme caution while pedestrians faced challenges because they could not see approaching cars when trying to cross streets.

The cold weather further added to the discomfort which forced people to wear multiple layers of clothing to stay warm against the intense cold.

Foggy weather conditions together with air pollution problems persisted as the primary environmental issue which faced Delhi-NCR.

AQI stays in 'very poor' to 'severe' category

The Air Quality Index (AQI) brought distress to residents because it maintained 'very poor' to 'severe' levels across multiple testing sites during the morning hours.

Air pollution which people experienced through extended periods has created health problems for many individuals particularly young children elderly people and patients with breathing difficulties.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded hazardous air quality index (AQI) readings through its data collection at approximately 9 am in multiple locations.

Delhi's Anand Vihar area recorded an air quality index (AQI) measurement of 386 while Chandni Chowk had an AQI measurement of 368.

Burari Crossing and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium both recorded an AQI of 330. Mundka emerged as one of the most polluted areas with an AQI of 391 which Alipur followed at 316.

The other areas of Delhi which included Dwarka Sector-8 and ITO showed extremely poor air quality results because their AQI measurements reached 356 and 351.

The situation developed into a serious problem which affected all the cities that surrounded the area. Indirapuram in Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 394, while Loni stood at 395.

Noida Sector-125 recorded an AQI of 356, Sector-116 reached 361, and Sector-1 attained 367, which showed that environmental contamination affected all areas throughout the entire NCR territory.

Residents expressed concern over the worsening air quality and recurring winter fog, which has become a regular problem over the years. Experts believe that all three conditions of low wind speed and cold temperatures and high pollution levels combine to create dense smog during winter mornings.

Authorities in Delhi-NCR issued travel warnings to the public because the area suffers from unhealthy air and poor visibility. The residents expect that upcoming days will bring more cold and smoggy mornings because winter remains active.