&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Airlines issue advisory as dense fog blankets Delhi; IMD issues cold wave alert – Check AQI today")
Delhi woke up to a blanket of dense fog and biting cold on Sunday (Jan 18) that dropped the visibility to near zero, disrupting flight and railway operations. The air quality in the national capital remains in the “severe” category, as the authorities impose GRAP 4 measures to tackle air pollution. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave alert across several parts of the city as temperatures have observed a sharp drop.
According to the weather department, Delhi’s primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday (Jan 17), while Ayanagar recorded a temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius. Several other weather stations across the city recorded temperatures below the 5-degree Celsius mark as cold conditions intensified.
Flights, trains affected
The poor visibility in the national capital led to widespread delays of flights and trains across North India. According to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, about 35 per cent of departures and 27 per cent of arrivals at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were affected as airlines advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
“Low visibility and fog over #Delhi and #Hindon (Airport) may impact flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly,” IndiGO said in an advisory.
Railways were also hit by disruptions due to dense fog in the region, with dozens of long-distance trains running late by up to 12 hours on some routes.
Delhi air quality
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 439 at 7 am. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Saturday evening invoked the State IV of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) as the air quality dipped in the city once again.
