Delhi pollution: Thick smog engulfs India Gate, visibility at bare minimum levels

As the national capital struggles with the ongoing pollution crisis, there seems to be no respite in the offing. The morning saw a thick blanket of smog covering the India Gate in the city on Sunday with a slight improvement in visibility in the afternoon.

Several people could be seen jogging wearing masks to avoid breathing the polluted air.

Speaking to ANI, Ankit, hailing from Maharashtra, said: "We had come to visit the Rashtrapati Bhawan. However, the high level of pollution has ruined the experience."

"There is no visibility. Because of the polluted air, we are experiencing irritation in our eyes and breathing problems," he said.

Ashish Kumar, another visitor, said that he and his friends had plans to celebrate the weekend, but the pollution has put a dampener on all their plans.

Earlier today, the air quality index (AQI) docked as high as 625 at 10 am despite light drizzles in the early hours. Due to low visibility, flight operations at Delhi airport were also affected.

To combat the menace of air pollution, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government has announced the implementation of the Odd-Even scheme from November 4 to 15, 2019.

Chief Minister Kejriwal has repeatedly said that the smog from the nearby states caused by the burning of crop residue is the major cause of pollution in the region.