Thick Layer Of Fog Grips Delhi, Causes Delay Of Over 130 Flights And 20 Trains

Delhi faces over 100 flight disruptions due to persistent fog, impacting air, rail, and road traffic. IMD issues an orange alert.

Delhi witnessed disruptions of over 100 flights as the region grappled with persistent fog, causing disruptions in air, rail and road traffic. The temperature dipped to 8.4 degrees Celsius, barely above the seasonal average. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) responded with an orange alert, cautioning residents to brace for challenging weather conditions. The advisory emphasised the importance of precautionary measures, given the substantially reduced visibility across various parts of the city. As the fog persists, residents are urged to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions during this period of adverse weather.

At 5:30 AM, Palam reported a mere 25 metres of visibility, while Safdarjung station recorded 50m. The IMD classifies fog intensity into four types -- shallow, moderate, dense and very dense fog which ranges from 999m to 500m, 499m to 200m, 199m to 50m and < 50m, respectively.

The impact of the cold wave was most evident during the morning commute, with delays reported in both air and rail travel. Several flights were delayed or cancelled as a result of poor visibility, affecting passengers' travel plans. Train schedules were disrupted, causing inconvenience to commuters relying on rail transport.

Fog Causes Train Delays In Delhi

According to Railways, 22 trains including Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Jammu Tawi - New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Tamil Nadu Express, Golden Temple Mail, were delayed by several hours due to poor visibility.

The Azamgarh-Delhi Jn kaifiyat Express was delayed for over nine hours, Puri- New Delhi Purushottam Express by six while the Gita Jayanti Express and Chennai-New Delhi Grand Trunk Express were delayed by five hours.

134 Flights Delayed In Delhi

At Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, the poor visibility affected over 100 flights (domestic and international) departure and arrival. DIAL issued a warning to flyers that with visibility reduced around the aerodrome, flights will be delayed, and only those with CAT III compliance will be allowed to land.

In response to the challenging weather conditions, the IMD has advised the public to exercise caution. "Dense Fog Advisory for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi Uttar Pradesh, north Rajasthan & north Madhya Pradesh. Be careful while driving or outing through any transport. Use fog lights during driving. Be in touch with airlines, railways and state transport for the schedule of your journey," IMD said in a tweet on Thursday morning.