Delhi's India Gate Vanishes Behind Thick Smog as Air Quality Hits Hazardous Levels
Delhi’s iconic India Gate appears to disappear behind dense smog triggered by hazardous air pollution, with the Air Quality Index reaching up to 405. The worsening pollution, trapped by low wind speeds and high humidity, has caused visibility to drop drastically despite official AQI readings. Authorities and political leaders have called for urgent action as the air quality is forecasted to remain poor for several days.
A viral video shows India's iconic India Gate fading behind a thick haze of smog amid Delhi's deteriorating air quality. On November 1, 2025, the Air Quality Index (AQI) around India Gate was recorded at 295, categorized as 'poor', causing surprisingly low visibility that made the monument almost disappear. The following day, AQI levels surged to a hazardous 405, with particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and carbon monoxide levels rising sharply. Meteorological factors, including low wind speeds (around 4-10 km/h), high humidity (up to 98%), and shallow fog, further trapped pollutants close to the surface, exacerbating smog and drastically reducing visibility to under 1.5 km in some areas. Authorities from the Central Pollution Control Board and the India Meteorological Department forecast that air quality will remain in the 'very poor' to 'severe' categories for several more days without significant weather changes. The engulfing smog has sparked political criticism and calls for immediate government intervention to tackle pollution sources such as stubble burning and vehicular emissions. Efforts like the ban on BS4 commercial vehicles starting November 1 highlight attempts to mitigate the crisis, but without sustained action and favorable weather, Delhi's pollution and haze are expected to persist, obscuring landmarks like India Gate and impacting public health and visibility across the capital.
