Delhi was enveloped in a thick layer of fog on Tuesday, worsening the winter conditions in the national capital. The dense fog significantly impacted visibility, leading to disruptions in air and rail travel, as well as contributing to the region’s ongoing air pollution crisis.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the temperature in Delhi at 5:30 a.m. was recorded at 11.6°C, with a forecasted low of 8°C and a high of 19°C for the day. However, the persistent fog caused considerable delays at both the airport and railway stations.
At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, over 400 flights were delayed on Monday due to poor visibility. In an official post on X, SpiceJet warned that low visibility conditions at several airports, including Delhi (DEL), Amritsar (ATQ), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), Gorakhpur (GOP), Varanasi (VNS), Ayodhya (AYJ), Darbhanga (DBR), and Patna (PAT), could lead to further delays or cancellations of departures and arrivals on January 7.
The situation was equally challenging at New Delhi railway station, where cold waves and dense fog led to several trains running behind schedule.
The city’s air quality, meanwhile, remained in the ‘Very Poor’ category for the second consecutive day. As of 6 a.m. on Tuesday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 310, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several areas, including Anand Vihar (394), Patparganj (364), Jahangirpuri (359), and Ashok Vihar (343), registered even higher AQI levels, indicating severe pollution. In contrast, some areas like Najafgarh (284) reported slightly better air quality, categorized as ‘Poor.’
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has projected an improvement in Delhi’s AQI in the coming days, with favorable meteorological conditions contributing to a gradual decrease in pollution levels. Better wind speeds have already begun to lower the AQI, which was recorded at 339 at 4 p.m. and 335 at 5 p.m. on Monday.
In terms of weather, the IMD’s seven-day forecast suggests that rain and thundershowers are expected on January 11 and 12, which experts believe could help alleviate the air pollution and improve visibility, providing some relief from the ongoing fog.
As Delhi continues to grapple with the adverse weather and pollution, residents have been urged to take precautionary measures, especially in areas of low visibility and poor air quality.
(With ANI inputs)