New Delhi: Authorities on Tuesday hiked vehicle parking fees by four times in Delhi in a bid to curb worsening air quality in the capital as the high-pollution winter months kicked in.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) here to discourage people from using private vehicles as air pollution worsened further and touched more alarming proportions on Tuesday.

The National Capital Region saw its worst air quality and smog situation of the year — which was even worse than a day after Diwali, as a yellow blanket of smog hung heavily in the sky.

The pollution level rose to dangerous levels, with 18 out of 21 active pollution monitoring stations recording “severe” air quality.