<p data-start="564" data-end="837"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Delhi-NCR woke up to another day under a thick, choking layer of smog, with air quality plunging deep into the &lsquo;severe&rsquo; category on Wednesday. Several neighbourhoods reported dangerous AQI levels, leaving the region gasping under one of the season&rsquo;s worst pollution spells.</span></p>
<h3 data-start="839" data-end="894"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wazirpur, Greater Noida Among Worst-Hit Pockets</span></h3>
<p data-start="895" data-end="1306"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wazirpur recorded an alarming AQI of 578, while Greater Noida&rsquo;s Knowledge Park-5 touched 553, placing them among the most polluted spots in India. In Noida, multiple sectors including 116, 125 and Knowledge Park 3, remained well above the 400 mark. Within Delhi, areas such as Jahangirpuri, Chandni Chowk, Ashok Vihar and DTU also hovered between&nbsp;430&ndash;442, indicating hazardous exposure for residents.</span></p>
<h3 data-start="1308" data-end="1349"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Smog Likely to Persist, Warns IMD</span></h3>
<p data-start="1350" data-end="1685"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">With the India Meteorological Department predicting clear to hazy skies for the next 48 hours, the toxic blanket is expected to linger. The CPCB&rsquo;s latest update noted that while Delhi&rsquo;s overall air stood in the &lsquo;very poor&rsquo; category, several NCR pockets had already tipped into &lsquo;severe&rsquo;, raising red flags over prolonged exposure risks.</span></p>
<h3 data-start="1687" data-end="1736"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">GRAP Curbs Intensify as Residents Protest</span></h3>
<p data-start="1737" data-end="2159"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Under GRAP Stage 3, authorities have enforced strict curbs, including a ban on construction, intensified water spraying, and targeted traffic restrictions. Schools have shifted primary classes online due to worsening conditions. Meanwhile, public anger is mounting, students, civil groups and citizens staged protests across the capital, demanding decisive, long-term solutions to Delhi&rsquo;s recurring pollution nightmare.</span></p>

Delhi Chokes as AQI Hits ‘Severe’ Across NCR

Toxic smog grips Delhi-NCR with AQI above 500 in hotspots; citizens demand urgent action

Delhi Chokes as AQI Hits ‘Severe’ Across NCR

Toxic smog grips Delhi-NCR with AQI above 500 in hotspots; citizens demand urgent action

November 19, 2025 | 16:46 IST