Delhi's air quality is as bad as smoking 25 cigarettes a day

India Nov 27, 2025

Delhi's air pollution is back in the spotlight, with PM2.5 levels hitting 400 micrograms per cubic meter—basically like breathing in the smoke of 20 cigarettes daily.
The city's air has become especially risky for kids and babies, and things only get worse in winter thanks to slow winds, industrial emissions, dropping temperatures, and stubble burning from nearby states.

Quick fixes aren't cutting it, say activists and experts

Activists are calling out short-term solutions like smog towers and odd-even traffic rules, saying they're just distractions that don't solve the problem.
Experts agree that real change needs bigger steps—think better public transport, cleaner industry standards, more electric vehicles, and stricter emission rules—to actually protect people's health now and in the future.