India's capital city of Delhi has virtually shut down as air pollution hit "severe plus" levels, according to Indian government officials in its pollution control authority.

Residents in India's northern states woke up to another day of poor air quality on Tuesday, as a layer of dense fog shrouded most of the region, and pollution in the capital Delhi remained severe.

After taking several measures to curb air pollution, the authorities under GRAP-4, urged the elderly, children and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, or other chronic diseases to avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors,

Air pollution in India's capital Delhi has soared to extremely severe levels, choking residents and engulfing the city in thick smog. Monitors recorded pollution levels of 1,500 on the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 15:00 IST (09:30 BST), according to tech ...

The Odd-Even rule, first introduced in 2016, could be a possible solution to Delhi's pollution crisis. The scheme limits vehicle movement according to registration numbers, permitting even-numbered vehicles on even dates and odd-numbered ones on odd dates.

Delhi recorded air pollution more than 17 times above an acceptable level as worsening smog triggered curbs on trucking and shuttered construction sites and schools.

Air quality in northern India has worsened over the past week, with New Delhi's AQI recording a reading of 465, classified as "severe plus category", on Sunday evening due to unfavourable meteorological conditions,

Delhi's new action plan to combat rising pollution includes a ban on non-essential trucks, school closures, and remote work.