Beijing announced its first-ever red alert for pollution on Monday, after reports predicted that a large amount of smog would descend on the city. The Chinese capital issued orders for highly polluting factories and construction sites to halt operations from Tuesday morning till midday on Thursday. Schools were also urged to remain closed, though it has not been made mandatory, Associated Press reported. Half the city’s private vehicles will not be allowed on roads, with only those with odd or even number registration plates allowed to ply on each day.

The BBC said that readings of tiny particulate matter, PM 2.5, were at 291 on Tuesday morning in Beijing. The World Health Organisation ‘safe level’ for PM 2.5 is 25. The worst-ever levels of PM 2.5 were recorded in China’s Shenyang city, where they hit 1,400 last month. Last week the Chinese capital faced a huge amount of pollution with the city covered in grey haze. PM2.5 readings last week were around 634, which coincided with the Paris climate change summit. Beijing has pledged that emissions will peak "around 2030", without saying at what level and implying several years of further increases.