India Chokes Under Thick Smog: Viral Noida Video Highlights Delhi-NCR Air Crisis

Delhi-NCR remains shrouded in thick smog, with a viral video from Noida providing a stark illustration of the crisis. Filmed from a high-rise apartment, the footage shows entire buildings and the cityscape below vanishing into dense haze, offering near-zero visibility.

Shared widely on social media, such clips have highlighted the hazardous conditions persisting across the region as of 16 December 2025. Delhi's air quality index stood at 381 this morning, in the 'very poor' category, after consecutive days of 'severe' readings.

Viral Noida Footage Captures Public Alarm

The video, one of several circulating online, depicts a residential tower in Noida engulfed by smog so thick that the ground and nearby structures are invisible from upper floors.

Residents in similar clips have described conditions that reduce visibility drastically, prompting widespread sharing on platforms including Instagram and Facebook.

Verified accounts have contributed to the coverage, with news agency ANI posting visuals of toxic smog blanketing central Delhi areas, reflecting the broader issue across the capital.

Online discussions have debated whether the haze constitutes fog or pollution, though high particulate levels confirm the latter. Such footage has renewed calls for urgent action, hardly a surprise given the annual recurrence of winter pollution peaks. Health concerns are mounting, with reports of increased respiratory cases linked to prolonged exposure to fine particles.

Delhi Smog Driven by Seasonal Factors

Air quality across Delhi-NCR varies by locality but remains poor overall. While the capital's average AQI improved to 381 today, stations in Noida recently recorded 466, making it briefly the most polluted city in India, followed by Ghaziabad at 459 and Greater Noida at 435. Gurugram registered in the 'very poor' range, affected by local waste fires and stagnant conditions.

Primary contributors include vehicular emissions, construction dust, industrial output, and low wind speeds that trap pollutants through temperature inversion. Winter's characteristically calm winds, dropping temperatures and strengthened inversion layers – where warmer air overlays colder surface air – severely restrict vertical mixing and pollutant dispersal, creating a persistent lid over the region. Higher moisture levels further encourage secondary particle formation, amplifying the haze.

Though episodic, farm stubble burning in neighbouring states adds to the mix. PM2.5 levels dominate, posing risks especially to children and the elderly. Visibility reductions have disrupted travel, with flights and trains delayed in recent days.

Strict GRAP Measures Enforced

Authorities activated Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan as readings approached 'severe-plus' in hotspots. Restrictions include a full ban on construction and demolition work, limits on non-essential trucks entering Delhi, and requirements for schools to switch to online classes for pupils up to class five in some areas.

Under these toughest curbs, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers are prohibited from operating in Delhi and nearby NCR districts, with exemptions only for essential services. Non-essential truck entry is barred unless vehicles run on CNG, LNG, electric power or meet BS-VI diesel standards, or carry vital goods.

Delhi-registered diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles below BS-IV are similarly restricted. Light commercial vehicles from outside are limited to cleaner fuels. These steps aim to curb immediate sources of dust and emissions. Officials have also deployed sprinklers and anti-smog measures in key zones.