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,