Dense Fog Disrupts Delhi-NCR: 150 Flights and 26 Trains Delayed

New Delhi: A thick blanket of dense fog covered parts of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday, bringing visibility to a standstill and severely disrupting transportation. The foggy conditions delayed over 150 flights by an average of 41 minutes and affected 26 train schedules. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) confirmed that flight operations were “impacted” due to the extreme fog.

Despite the disruption, DIAL assured passengers that flights compliant with CAT III systems could land and take off as scheduled. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for moderate to very dense fog across North India, including Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Over the past weeks, hundreds of flights and trains in the region have faced delays or cancellations due to similar weather conditions.

Road traffic in Delhi-NCR was also affected, with vehicles moving at a snail’s pace during the foggy morning. Most drivers resorted to using hazard lights to ensure visibility and avoid accidents. Alongside the fog, Delhi’s air quality further deteriorated, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching a hazardous 408 in the ‘severe’ category early Friday morning, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board.

Neighbouring areas also experienced poor air quality. Noida recorded an AQI of 328 in the ‘very poor’ category, while Greater Noida had a ‘poor’ AQI of 295. Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad also fell into the ‘very poor’ category with AQI readings of 318, 303, and 317, respectively.

For context, an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered ‘very poor,’ while values above 400 fall under the ‘severe’ category. According to the IMD, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius on Friday, with temperatures expected to range between 6 and 20 degrees Celsius throughout the day.

In response to the worsening air quality, the Centre’s air quality panel reinstated stage 3 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Thursday. These measures aim to mitigate the sharp rise in pollution levels attributed to unfavorable meteorological conditions.

The combination of dense fog, plummeting visibility, and alarming air quality has once again underscored the pressing environmental challenges facing Delhi-NCR during winter.