India’s capital city faced very poor air quality for the third day as thick smog enveloped the capital city, forcing the local government to implement traffic curbs and order schools to switch to online classes.

Authorities in New Delhi closed primary schools and imposed vehicle and construction restrictions on Friday, as air pollution levels in the Indian capital remained “severe”. The government-run Central Pollution Control Board said air quality readings in parts of the city were above 400,

The pollution level led to the Commission for Air Quality Management, the central pollution watchdog to invoke restrictions under the third stage of the graded response action plan (GRAP). This will issue a ban on construction activities,