Delhi continues to battle severe air pollution, with the air quality index (AQI) remaining in the “severe” category for the third consecutive day. The AQI stands at 498, making Delhi the world’s second most polluted city, behind Lahore, Pakistan, which recorded an AQI of 770 at 7 am, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.

GRAP stage 3 will come into force at 8am on Friday. The Delhi government announced that classes for primary schools will be shifted to online.

Northern India encountered the recurring annual pre-winter event of air emergency where the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings of main pollutant PM 2.5 breached the 400-mark of “very poor” and landed the air of Delhi, Punjab and other northern cities into the “hazardous” category.

Delhi and its neighbouring cities are experiencing pollution levels that are at least 30-35 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Every year, De

Delhi's air quality turned 'severe' for the first time this season on Wednesday, with the AQI soaring to 418. In comparison, the national capital's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) -- recorded at 4 pm every day -- stood at 334 on Tuesday.

Dense smog engulfed Delhi and its surrounding areas on Wednesday morning with visibility dropping and the air quality settling in the "very poor" category. According to data by the Central Pollution Control Board,