Foreign tourist visiting Delhi says pollution so severe, ‘could barely see sun’

Shane, a foreign national, travelled to Delhi from Agra by bus and observed that the smog thickened significantly as he approached the capital.

Delhi’s air quality worsened further on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Anand Vihar and nearby areas reaching 371 — a level classified as ‘very poor’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Shane, a foreign national, travelled to Delhi from Agra by bus and observed that the smog thickened significantly as he approached the capital. He noted the stark difference in air quality, emphasizing that the pollution made the sun almost invisible.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "It's pretty bad. I came from Agra by bus and the closer I got to Delhi, the thicker the smog was. You could definitely tell the difference. The closer I got to Delhi, it kept getting worse to the point where I could even barely see the sun anymore."

#WATCH | Delhi: Shane, a foreign national visiting India, says, "It's pretty bad. I came from Agra by bus and the closer I got to Delhi, the thicker the smog was. You could definitely tell the difference. The closer I got to Delhi, it kept getting worse to the point where I could… https://t.co/e4D2eDcbyEpic.twitter.com/U9KdEGoXWJ

— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2025

Delhi residents complain of burning eyes, breathing trouble

Local residents echoed similar concerns, reporting common symptoms like burning eyes and breathing difficulties as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) plunged into the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories.

“Pollution in Delhi is rising. There is burning in the eyes and difficulty in breathing. Government should do something about it,” Saif, a local resident, added.

Delhi steps up measures to curb pollution

To mitigate the rising pollution levels, truck-mounted water sprinklers have been deployed across Delhi. The Kartavya Path area reported an AQI of 307, which also falls in the ‘very poor’ category.

To control the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has banned the entry of all BS-III and below standard commercial goods vehicles that are not registered in Delhi from November 1.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already announced the doubling of parking fees across the national capital after the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage II was invoked due to deteriorating air quality.