Lahore AQI hits 447 as Delhi smog worsens before Deepavali
Why it matters: Delhi's PM2.5 topped 461 micrograms per cubic meter, while Lahore's level was 60 times the WHO annual guideline.
Air pollution worsened sharply across northern India and eastern Pakistan this week, with Lahore ranked the world's most polluted city and New Delhi facing deepening smog ahead of Deepavali. IQAir showed Lahore's air quality index at 447 on Tuesday, while Delhi's readings ranged from 215 on IQAir to 332 on India's official scale. In parts of Delhi on Wednesday, PM2.5 climbed above 461 micrograms per cubic meter, more than 30 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily limit. Delhi has tightened restrictions on traffic, construction, coal and firewood use, and public transport operations, but officials expect fireworks and seasonal crop burning to worsen the haze.