Flight and rail services across large parts of North India were disrupted on Sunday morning as dense fog conditions prevailed over several states, sharply reducing visibility and affecting normal movement.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for Delhi and adjoining regions, warning of dense fog and cold wave-like conditions during the morning hours.
Rail services were severely affected, with dozens of trains running several hours behind schedule and some being diverted. Train speeds were reduced as a safety measure, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.
According to railway officials, more than four dozen trains were delayed due to dense fog across northern India. Among the worst-affected services, the Prayagraj Express was delayed by around five hours, the Rewa–Anand Vihar Express by nearly nine hours, and the New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express by about four hours.
The Brahmaputra Mail was delayed by approximately 45 minutes, while the Mahabodhi Express and Sampurna Kranti Express were running four to five hours late. Several other mail and express trains also reached their destinations hours behind schedule.
Air traffic operations were similarly impacted. Flights in multiple cities, including Delhi, faced delays, and the possibility of cancellations could not be ruled out. Several airlines issued travel advisories cautioning passengers about potential disruptions.
SpiceJet, in a post on X, said that poor visibility due to fog in cities such as Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Darbhanga, Patna, Guwahati and Bagdogra could affect flight operations, advising passengers to regularly check their flight status.
Air India also issued a weather-related advisory, stating that dense fog with reduced visibility was forecast across parts of northern India, including Chandigarh, Amritsar and Varanasi, which could impact flight operations.
IndiGo, in separate posts, informed passengers that lingering fog over Hindon Airport and other parts of its network might result in slower flight movements and short delays, urging travellers to stay updated through official channels.
The Delhi Airport administration also warned that flight schedules could change due to low visibility conditions, with more than ten flights reported to be operating behind schedule on Sunday morning.
Authorities advised passengers to check real-time updates for flights and trains before heading to airports or railway stations.
–IANS
