Delhi Metro created a new record on Monday by registering the highest passenger journeys at 78.67 lakh. With an Air Quality Index of 494, Monday was the second most polluted day ever. Additionally, BS III petrol and BS IV vehicles are banned as part of the Graded Response Action Plan's emergency measures.

This broke the earlier record of 77.49 lakh passengers on August 20 this year. The Yellow Line, connecting Gurugram's Millennium City Centre to Delhi's Samaypur Badli, was the busiest, carrying 20.99 lakh commuters on the same day.

Amid rising pollution in Delhi, people are travelling more in the metro. The use of their own vehicles and buses is being reduced. For the past several days, the fog of pollution has been looming on the roads of Delhi.

The Delhi Metro reached a new record ridership of over 7.8 million passengers on November 18, surpassing its previous high set just three months prior

DMRC officials noted that the increase in Metro ridership is expected to lead to a reduction in vehicular emissions, thereby improving air quality in the region.

DMRC has added 60 extra trips on weekdays to accommodate growing demand for Delhi Metro services, officials said.

Thick grey haze continued to choke Delhi for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, with pollution levels remaining alarmingly high at 488 in the ‘severe plus’ category.

As air quality index levels reach alarming figures, concerns continue to grow about the impact of pollution on public health and safety.