World · South & Central Asia · 24 mins ago
Delhi becomes the world's most polluted major city as smog worsens
Delhi overtook Lahore as the world's most polluted major city on Friday as thick smog covered India's capital.
IQAir recorded an air quality index of 334, classifying it as hazardous, while India's official pollution board recorded 403 and classified conditions as severe.
The readings differ because the two systems use different scales and methods to measure and classify pollution.
The smog reduced visibility across roads in the city of about 20 million people.
Cold winter air traps vehicle emissions, construction dust and farm-burning smoke, making pollution a seasonal problem across northern India and neighbouring Pakistan.
Air quality is considered good at readings of up to 50, with little or no health risk.
Delhi residents said pollution was disrupting their daily activities and work and called for government action, but no next steps were specified.
Delhi overtook Lahore on Friday, November 13, to become the world’s most polluted major city, according to IQAir.
IQAir recorded Delhi’s air quality index at 334, a level it classified as hazardous.
India’s Central Pollution Control Board recorded a higher AQI of 403 and classified it as severe.
Dense smog reduced visibility across the city, which has about 20 million residents.
Cold, heavy winter air can trap vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from agricultural burning in northern India and neighbouring Pakistan.
- Who
- Delhi, India’s capital, and its residents.
- What
- Delhi overtook Lahore as the world’s most polluted major city, with hazardous air quality.
- When
- Friday, November 13, 2026; CNBC Indonesia reported the AQI reading at 7:30 a.m. local time.
- Where
- Delhi, India.
- Why
- Cold, heavy winter air can trap vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from agricultural burning. The sources describe this as a seasonal pollution problem.
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- IQAir AQI
- 334, classified as hazardous
- India’s Central Pollution Control Board AQI
- 403, classified as severe
- City population
- About 20 million
- Ranking
- Delhi overtook Lahore as the world’s most polluted major city
- Measurement time
- 7:30 a.m. local time on November 13, 2026