This winter, as in many winters past, a thick blanket of acrid haze covered New Delhi. The levels of particulate matter in the Indian capital—16 times what’s considered safe to breathe—was so thick that it dimmed the sun’s bright midday glare to a dull glow. Schools were shut down, flights were disrupted, and pedestrians walked around with masks to filter out the toxic air.
One big reason why the seasonal siege of smog in this megacity of 25 million has become so serious: India’s growing love affair with the private automobile. Traffic congestion has worsened within the city, with destinations that were once minutes away taking hours to reach. And overall, traffic fatalities have remained appallingly high.
