Swiss monitor IQAir ranks Delhi above Lahore among major cities, while India’s own pollution board reports a severe reading.
Tamrah News Desk | November 13, 2026
Delhi overtakes Lahore as the most polluted city in the world, with Delhi air quality turning hazardous on Friday, November 13, as smog cut visibility across the capital, according to Reuters. Reuters reported that smog covered the city of 20 million people and that Swiss monitoring group IQAir recorded a Delhi AQI of 334, which made it the most polluted major city globally.
India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) put the Delhi AQI higher at 403 and rated it severe, Reuters said. A reading of up to 50 counts as good, with little or no health risk, the agency added.
Delhi AQI Today: What the Two Readings Show
Daily Pioneer reported that IQAir placed Delhi at the top of its global ranking of major cities and displaced Lahore, while the CPCB classed the conditions as severe. Videos from news agency ANI, cited by Reuters, showed cars and motorcycles moving through dense smog that hid street lights on main roads. Daily Pioneer noted that both agencies, despite different figures, pointed to severely polluted Delhi air quality.
Why Do the Delhi AQI Readings Differ?
According to Reuters, the Swiss and Indian figures vary because each body uses a different AQI scale and its own method to calculate and classify pollution. Reuters said the Swiss group bases its measure on the concentration of toxins in the air. That is why Delhi pollution figures can look different depending on the source.
Delhi Pollution Curbs Under GRAP Restrictions
Daily Pioneer reported that the Commission for Air Quality Management invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan, known as GRAP, across Delhi NCR on November 6 as a precaution while Delhi pollution worsened before Diwali. The GRAP restrictions include a ban on construction and demolition work that is not essential and limits on certain diesel goods vehicles registered outside Delhi. The same report said Stage II measures had applied since November 2. The reports reviewed for this article did not mention a move to Stage IV.
Lahore Smog Remains a Concern
Lahore smog has not cleared. Daily Pakistan reported on November 10 that Lahore topped the global rankings with an overall AQI of 303, and that slow winds raised concern about polluted air crossing the border. Arab News reported a Swiss index reading of 563 for Lahore earlier in the smog season and described it as hazardous. A Geo News video headline said Lahore’s AQI topped 600 and that Punjab linked the smog to Diwali fireworks in India.
Arab News also reported that Pakistan blamed poor air quality on pollution drifting from India after Diwali. It cited a University of Punjab specialist who said fossil fuel burning is the core cause of Lahore smog, and a Lahore doctor who reported a surge in outpatient visits. The doctor said air quality in major Pakistani cities has stayed poor for about 260 days a year.
What Causes Smog Across Northern India and Pakistan
Reuters reported that pollution is a seasonal problem in many parts of northern India and neighbouring Pakistan. Cold, heavy winter air traps vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from agricultural burning, the agency said. The same pattern drives Delhi pollution and Lahore smog, and it shapes Delhi smog and Delhi air quality each winter. See also coverage on Siang Dam Protest.
What It Means When Delhi Overtakes Lahore in the IQAir Ranking
The result is a snapshot, not a fixed order. The Express Tribune has described IQAir’s ranking as a live tracker, so city positions and Delhi air quality figures can change as readings update. Lahore held the top spot in earlier reports this month, including Daily Pakistan on November 10, before the Reuters report on Friday placed Delhi first. Readers who want the most polluted city in the world at any moment, or Delhi smog levels as they change, can check the live page.
Conclusion
Delhi overtakes Lahore on the IQAir ranking as Delhi air quality falls to hazardous levels, while the CPCB rates the Delhi AQI severe at 403. Delhi pollution curbs under GRAP restrictions remain in place and Lahore smog continues to affect Pakistan. Readers tracking Delhi AQI today, Delhi smog and the most polluted city in the world can follow live readings for updates. Search terms: Delhi overtakes Lahore, Delhi AQI today, Delhi air quality, Lahore smog, most polluted city in the world, IQAir ranking, Delhi pollution.
-Tamrah News
