A thick layer of Toxic smog has once again blanketed New Delhiplunging the Indian capital into one of the worst air pollution episodes of the winter season. The smog has reduced visibility to just a few hundred meters in many parts of the city and has forced the activation of the strictest emergency measures outlined in environmental protocols.
The consequences have been felt immediately in the daily lives of the population: mass flight cancellations, train delays, overwhelmed hospitals due to respiratory problems and official recommendations to avoid any outdoor activity. The episode has once again brought to the forefront, in Spain and across Europe, the debate on how to address urban pollution peaks and the health risks of dirty air.
Pollution levels at “severe”
Data from monitoring stations of the Central Pollution Control Council (CPCB) and independent monitoring platforms show that The Air Quality Index (AQI) in New Delhi remains in the “severe” category.The highest on the official Indian scale. Over the weekend and on Monday, readings generally ranged between 430 and 500 points, with peaks reaching around 721 points in the early morning at some stations.
In the Indian classification, an AQI above 400 is considered dangerous even for healthy peopleThis is because it involves concentrations of pollutants that can cause acute respiratory effects and aggravate heart and lung conditions. For reference, readings below 50 are considered good and consistent with healthy air quality.
Of particular concern are the fine particles PM2,5, which They exceed the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) by more than 20 or 30 times.These particles, with a diameter of less than 2,5 microns, are able to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and reach the bloodstream, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke and various types of cancer.
Health experts consulted in the Indian capital warn that, at these levels, Prolonged exposure can cause long-term damageeven in people without pre-existing conditions, and recommend minimizing unnecessary travel, ventilating homes when concentrations drop slightly, and using indoor air filtration whenever possible.
According to a study published in the medical journal The Lancet, air pollution in India is linked to approximately 1,5 million additional deaths per yearOrganizations such as the Global Alliance for Climate and Health also point out that there are no systematic mechanisms to accurately record deaths linked to poor air quality, which suggests a possible underestimation of its real impact.
Airports and trains in chaos due to toxic smog
The combination of extreme pollution and winter fog has generated a dense toxic haze that Visibility has plummeted to between 200 and 50 meters in much of the city, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). In some areas and at certain times, estimates even point to values below that threshold.
The country's main airport, located in New Delhi, has been forced to operate under CAT III conditionsThe level of the instrument landing system that allows maneuvers in extremely low visibility scenarios. This situation has led to over a hundred flights cancelled and several hundred delayedwith average delays of up to 140 minutes for arrivals and around an hour for departures, according to data from air tracking platforms such as Flightradar24.
Major Indian airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have reported on their official channels that preventative cancellations and reschedulingciting security reasons. The airport itself has warned in its communications that CAT III operations may continue to be affected, despite the use of advanced technology, when visibility drops even further than expected.
Rail transport has not escaped the chaos either. More than 50 trains connecting the capital with other regions of the country have been affected. delays of several hours Due to low visibility on the tracks and the need to exercise extreme caution, this simultaneous disruption of major transport services has affected thousands of travelers, with overcrowded stations and terminals and last-minute itinerary changes.
The impact on mobility has been so significant that the smog episode has reached partially paralyze economic activity of the metropolis, a situation that is reminiscent, albeit on a different scale, of traffic restrictions for pollution episodes that are applied in European cities such as Madrid or Paris during winter smog peaks.
The new episode of toxic smog that is suffocating New Delhi, with pollution levels at “severe” levels, mass flight and train cancellations, overwhelmed hospitals, and drastic restrictions This situation, while impacting economic activity, highlights the extent to which air pollution has become a structural problem in many large cities. What is happening today in the Indian capital serves as a reminder that protecting public health and the climate requires ambitious, coherent, and sustained policies, not only in Asia but also in Spain and across Europe.
Health emergency: hospitals overwhelmed and extreme recommendations
While the smog remains over the city, public and private hospitals in New Delhi are registering a significant increase in cases of acute respiratory illnessesBetween 2022 and 2024, public health centers in the capital recorded more than 200.000 cases of this type, and professionals acknowledge that the situation repeats itself with greater intensity every winter.
Emergency services have reported an increasing influx of patients with difficulty breathing, asthma attacks, severe eye irritation and symptoms typical of acute bronchitis. Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and patients with cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions are among the most vulnerable groups, and they have been advised to avoid leaving home except in strictly necessary cases.
Health authorities have issued clear warnings: The entire population is advised to limit outdoor physical activity as much as possible.especially intense exercise, and the use of high-efficiency filtering masks, such as N95 masks, is advised for those who are forced to travel around the city.
The perception of the problem's severity is also reflected in the testimonies of residents and visitors. Repeat tourists describe a capital city that is more polluted than in previous years and recount how They can even smell the smoke when they breathe.This has become almost routine during the autumn and winter months. For many, the image of New Delhi as a "gas chamber" is no longer a rhetorical exaggeration, but a description quite close to everyday reality.
Experts and medical organizations warn that these recurring episodes contribute to a cumulative damage to public healthBeyond acute conditions, repeated exposure to high levels of PM2,5 and other pollutants is associated with an increase in chronic diseases, lower life expectancy, and a high economic cost due to sick leave and pressure on the health system, a scenario that also worries European authorities when analyzing the effects of urban pollution.
Maximum restrictions: from the GRAP plan to the halting of works
Given the magnitude of the incident, Indian authorities have decided to apply the Phase IV of the Gradual Pollution Response Plan (GRAP)The strictest level of this protocol. This stage is activated when air quality indices reach the highest risk categories and includes a wide range of measures to try to quickly reduce local emissions.
Among the decisions adopted is the total ban on construction and demolition activities In the capital and its metropolitan area, measures have been taken to reduce the generation of dust and particulate matter. The entry and circulation of highly polluting vehicles, including many diesel models, have also been severely restricted, and combustion engines have been banned in various areas.
Furthermore, both businesses and the government have been urged to promote teleworking and hybrid teachingThis reduces daily commutes and rush-hour traffic. Many schools and offices have opted to allow students and employees to work or study from home, a measure reminiscent of protocols in some European countries during pollution peaks or extreme events such as heat waves.
In the streets, authorities have deployed water tanker trucks and sprinklers These measures aim to settle the dust and reduce, even if only temporarily, the concentration of airborne particles. However, these actions have a limited effect over time and are generally considered palliative rather than structural solutions.
Environmental organizations with a presence in Delhi maintain that the seriousness of the current episode demonstrates that Emergency responses alone are not enoughThey demand long-term policies that address the root causes of pollution: from the intensive use of fossil fuels in transport and industry, to the management of agricultural waste and urban planning.
A chronic problem: causes and global context
New Delhi and its vast metropolitan area, home to more than 30 million peopleThey regularly appear among the most polluted urban areas on the planet. According to data from the IQAir monitoring database, India has six of the ten cities with the worst air quality in the world, and the national capital usually tops the list among major capital cities.
Every winter, air quality deteriorates significantly, as studies on winter pollution in IndiaIn addition to emissions from traffic and industrial activity, there is also burning of agricultural stubble in nearby statesThis practice releases large quantities of smoke and particulate matter. The low temperatures and temperature inversions typical of the season trap these pollutants near the ground, favoring the formation of persistent smog that can last for days or weeks.
Experts point out that, during these periods, Pollution levels reach twenty times the WHO's safety limitsHowever, local environmentalists point out that the problem is not limited to winter: Delhi's air remains above advisable levels for much of the year, with seasonal variations but no genuine periods of clean air.
In this context, citizens have begun to organize protests and mobilizations to demand stronger action from the authorities. The demonstrations reflect both frustration with the recurring smog season and discontent with the perception that the implemented plans are not achieving substantial change.
In parallel, institutions have experimented with controversial solutions, such as cloud seeding to induce artificial rainThese types of projects, tested on the smog-choked capital, aim to induce rainfall that will "cleanse" the atmosphere. In one of the most recent trials, the operation was shut down without any rain falling, fueling the debate about its actual effectiveness and cost.
The crisis management in New Delhi is being closely watched from other parts of the world. In the European Union, where air quality directives exist and measures have been established, the situation is being closely monitored. action plans for particulate matter and nitrogen dioxideThe Indian experience acts as a mirror of what can happen when urban and industrial growth is not accompanied by effective environmental controls.
Lessons for Spain and Europe in the face of the urban air challenge
Although the concentrations of pollutants recorded in New Delhi are far higher than those typically found in European cities, the situation serves as a warning about the risks of chronic pollution and the importance of taking preventative action. In Spain, smog episodes and high concentrations of particulate matter have become frequent in large metropolitan areas, especially in winter and during Saharan dust intrusion events.
Cities like Madrid or Barcelona already have protocols for action in cases of high pollutionThese measures include temporary traffic restrictions, reduced speed limits on main roads, and recommendations to use public transportation. New Delhi's experience suggests that these plans must be accompanied by fundamental strategies: electrification of the vehicle fleet, promotion of public and active transportation, effective low-emission zones, and strict control of industrial emissions.
At the European level, the updating of air quality directives and the pressure to align legal limits with WHO's most stringent guiding values They point towards a progressive tightening of standards. Following the debate taking place in India, experts in Europe are calling for strengthened monitoring systems, improved real-time citizen information, and a more direct link between air quality plans and urban and climate planning.
The situation in the Indian capital also serves as a reminder of the need to establish robust mechanisms to account for the health impact of pollution. While epidemiological studies point to an increase in deaths and illnesses attributable to dirty air, many of these deaths are not explicitly reflected in the statistics, making it difficult for the public to understand the problem and for political decision-making to take action.
For Spain and the rest of Europe, observing extreme episodes like the one in New Delhi offers an opportunity to anticipate more serious scenariosespecially in a context of climate crisis where heat waves, droughts and changes in weather patterns can aggravate air quality problems in cities.
The new episode of toxic smog that is suffocating New Delhi, with pollution levels at “severe” levels, mass flight and train cancellations, overwhelmed hospitals, and drastic restrictions This situation, while impacting economic activity, highlights the extent to which air pollution has become a structural problem in many large cities. What is happening today in the Indian capital serves as a reminder that protecting public health and the climate requires ambitious, coherent, and sustained policies, not only in Asia but also in Spain and across Europe.