Air pollution choking New Delhi has ground outdoor work to a halt and disrupted air travel in the Indian capital.

A sharp spike in Delhi's air pollution was witnessed in the past 24 hours with 30 out of 36 monitoring stations reporting a severe air quality index.

The smog comes as Delhi’s air quality continues to worsen. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) shot up to 459 at noon, falling under the 'severe' category, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board.