Viral aerial video: Shocking bird's-eye view shows Delhi drenched in smog amid deteriorating AQI

Winters are all about sweet fragrances of flowers flowing through the night, with the grey tone casting the mood and setting the foreboding of the coming chilly months.


But recently, winters in Delhi are more about battling not just the cold but also deteriorating AQI. The season ushers in dense fog that blankets streets and slows down daily life, while holiday lights struggle to pierce through the haze. And social media is abuzz with videos of icy cold mornings, fog, and reduced visibility.

A recent aerial video shows the fog above the city, which looks unbelievable and unreal.

Viral smoggy aerial view shocks social media

A stunning video from a plane soaring over Delhi has gone viral, revealing the capital swallowed by a thick grey smog that blurs the line between fog and pollution. Shared by Anjali Sohal on Instagram, the clip shows the city almost invisible under the haze, posted with the caption, “Just in case it was getting hard to imagine what 800+ AQI looks like from above”. This footage has left social media users shocked.

The video highlights how severe the situation has become, with Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stuck in the 'severe' category for weeks.



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How has pollution impacted the conditions in the city

On the ground, the smog has caused chaos, delaying over 100 flights and trains while authorities enforce strict Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV measures, like banning non-essential construction. Numerous visuals have surfaced online from areas like Bhairav Marg, which show AQI hitting 433, with drivers using headlights in daylight.

Social media exploded with reactions, from users calling it "unsettling" to others relieved they're not there.

Social media response

Many users also wrote comments asking about a long-term solution to this problem, asking how the bird's-eye view exposes the crisis scale better than street photos. Most comments had a common sentiment that how the bird's-eye view brings out the reality of the situation, more than the ground level.