Delhi residents woke up to a dense layer of fog and smog on Monday morning, with low visibility on the roads as a result.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), visibility around Palam Airport (used by the Indian Air Force) was recorded at around 150 to 200 meters between 3.30 to 6 am, before improving to approximately 350 meters at 7 am.
The dense fog situation is expected to continue across north India for the next four to five days.
However, Delhi is also witnessing a deterioration in its air quality, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) has crossed the 450 mark in some places, including in the Anand Vihar and Nehru Nagar areas.
The average AQI of the national capital was reported to be around 407.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe. The AQI in the very poor and beyond category is likely to cause respiratory issues upon prolonged exposure.
The deterioration in the AQI has appeared alongside the temperature dropping and low wind speeds, making the dispersion of pollutants difficult.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the governing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and state chief Arvind Kejriwal Delhi, saying the city has become a gas chamber and that it's a red-level emergency.