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.

To combat worsening air quality, India's government has banned non-essential construction and encouraged residents to avoid burning coal for heating.

By Sakshi Dayal NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Toxic smog obscured India's famed monument to love, the Taj Mahal, as well as Sikhism's holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and delayed flights on Thursday,

A dense smog blanketed the Taj Mahal in Agra on Thursday as pollution levels surged, obscuring the iconic monument from view. Tourists captured visuals showing the Taj Mahal nearly invisible behind the haze.