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If air pollution stays at this level for more than 48 hours, authorities will implement emergency measures for the first time this year, a Central Pollution Control Board official told CNN. Those measures include shutting schools, stopping construction work, banning trucks from entering the city, and imposing a rule whereby cars with odd and even number plates can only drive on alternate days.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal hit out at the governments of Punjab and Haryana, which he said contributed to New Delhi's pollution as farmers in those areas burned crops despite bans.
Taking cars off the roads
Even before the heavy smog, the city's government signaled that it would implement the odd-even car rule this month for the first time since 2016, meaning more than 4 million cars could be taken off the road each day. Anyone who breaks the rules faces a 4,000 rupee ($56) fine.
But not everyone has to follow the rules. Senior leaders in the government, cars carrying children wearing school uniform, cars with only female passengers, and police vehicles are exempt.
The odd-even rule has been greeted with mixed reactions from the public, with some slamming it as "inconvenient" and others saying it will help raise awareness about the city's pollution.
With elections coming up next year, some opposition party politicians have accused the local government of trying to score points with voters.
Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, the spokesman from the New Delhi arm of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, said the odd-even rule had already been tried -- and it didn't help. "This is totally for the elections," Bagga told CNN. "If they had found a permanent solution, then all this would not be needed."
But Saurabh Bhardwaj, the chief spokesman for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in the city, said the party had done other things to stamp out the smog, including closing thermal power plants. Although there had been some public push back to the odd-even rule, Bhardwaj said it wouldn't change the party's stance.
"For pollution, we are ready to take that risk (to our popularity)."
Julia Hollingsworth wrote from Hong Kong. Manveena Suri reported from New Delhi. Esha Mitra and Swati Gupta contributed reporting from New Delhi.