
The Delhi NCR region is currently grappling with a thick blanket of smog, with temperatures dropping and the Air Quality Index (AQI) breaching the 450-mark, categorised as 'severe'. Residents on Monday (Dec 15) woke up to a dense smog, which reduced visibility to merely 5-10 metres. The condition prompted the authorities to issue advisories and take measures to control air pollution. Online users have shared videos from their homes and offices to show the current situation in the NCR region. A user posted a video on Instagram, showing the condition of roads in Delhi at 6.30 am on December 15. In the comment section, one user called it "dangerous".
The severe air quality is attributed to a combination of factors, including weak surface winds, foggy conditions, and emissions from vehicles, industries, and biomass burning. The situation is expected to worsen with colder nights and low wind speeds.
Also read | "Delhi NCR Is Cooked": User Lists 6 Reasons To Argue Why Delhi NCR No Longer Liveable, Internet Reacts
Watch some of the videos here:
We've heard of River View, Mountain View, Lake View, and Sunset View apartments…
— Greater Noida West (@GreaterNoidaW) December 15, 2025
So are these Fog View or Pollution View apartments? 🌫️🤔 pic.twitter.com/y09HSEUMLC
0 visibility in Noida today #Pollution#fog#noida#GreaterNoida@aajtak@ravish_journopic.twitter.com/HOrRQHTzaX
— abhishek srivastava (@Abhishek16891) December 15, 2025
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has imposed measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage IV, including restrictions on construction activities, industrial operations and vehicular movement. Schools in Delhi and surrounding areas have been directed to conduct classes online or in hybrid mode.
The severe air quality poses significant health risks, particularly for children, the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activities and take necessary precautions.
A day before, on December 14, the condition was more or less the same, as many users shared similar videos and called authorities to take urgent action. On Instagram, one user shared a video and wrote, "What is this ??? AQI or deadly Air Pollution... Are we really living this way??"
"As kids, thick fog felt magical. We imagined we were walking through clouds.... laughing, running, unafraid. It felt natural. Pure. Almost unreal. Today in NCR, the same view feels terrifying. Because it's no longer just fog. It's polluted air. Silent. Invisible. Harmful," one user wrote in another post.
A new study published in Science has challenged this view, suggesting the genetic contribution might be considerably higher.
Several parts of the national capital woke up to dense fog on Monday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the moderate to poor categories according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
India's fight against toxic air just took a hit. The 2026-27 Budget allocated only Rs 1,091 crore to pollution control - down from Rs 1,300 crore last year.
Several parts of Delhi and the wider National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed light rain during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a drop in the maximum temperature for today.
The air quality in Delhi has shown slight deterioration this January compared to last year, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) till January 30 standing at 307, compared to 306 during the same period in 2025, according to an analysis
................................ Advertisement ................................
Blog | Well Done, Delhi. You've Turned Lung Sacrifice Into A Badge Of HonourSaikat Kumar Bose
Monday November 10, 2025Till some years back, Delhiites would ask angry questions to those in power about the capitals annual tryst with toxic air. This has changed. Those in the driving seat dont see the need to answer now.
Opinion | Why Indians Have Just Given Up On Air Pollution CrisisTanushree Ganguly
Friday December 20, 2024While some may argue that people in Delhi are now more aware of air pollution than they were a decade back, my rebuttal would be that awareness does not mean that people are concerned.
Opinion | You Must Outrage Over Filthy Air More Than Once A YearJyoti Pande Lavakare
Tuesday December 10, 2024Delhi welcomed us with monsoon rains and mangos. We were home. Fast forward a couple of years, in the winter of 2012, I found myself in denial about something other parents, mostly expats, were calling toxic air.
Opinion | Delhi's Air Pollution Situation Is Like A Bad MarriageNishtha Gautam
Friday November 22, 2024On a good day, such as today, the AQI reading in Delhi is 407. We are jubilant at the sickly sunshine trickling through the slightly dissipated smog. At least its not 1600.
दिवाली... पराली... सियासी जुगाली!Ashwini kumar
Monday November 18, 2024दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का समाधान तो आज तक मिला नहीं. हर साल चिंतित होकर हम-आप सांसों की तकलीफ के साथ-साथ दिल और ब्लड प्रेशर के मरीज भी क्यों बनें?

