Delhi residents woke up to ‘severe’ air quality on Thursday morning (November 14), a day after the national capital recorded the worst AQI in the country, with dense fog blanketing the NCR, reducing visibility.

Industrial activities and vehicular traffic are significant contributors to air pollution in the city, along with rampant construction. For the past many years, every year ahead of winter the air quality in Delhi has become hazardous.

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.

A dense layer of smog enveloped Delhi and surrounding regions of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad on Wednesday morning.

Air pollution in India's national capital increased to 'severe' on an official index on Wednesday for the first time this season as temperatures and wind speeds dropped, reducing visibility and affecting some flights.

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 typically sees a spike in air pollution during the festive season starting in October. After Dussehra celebrations in the second week of October, Delhi’s Air Quality Index

Delhi AQI soared to 452 by 11pm, falling in comfortably “severe plus” – the worst possible category within the AQI range