Flight, Train Services Disrupted as Dense Fog Engulfs Delhi-NCR

NEW DELHI:
Dense fog enveloped various parts of Delhi-NCR, bringing visibility down and thereby impacting train and flight operations.

At least 24 trains departing from Delhi were delayed due to weather-related conditions. Among the affected trains, the Ayodhya Express was delayed by four hours, the Gorakhdham Express was running more than two hours late, and the Bihar Kranti Express and the Shram Shakti Express were delayed by over three hours

Many airlines’ flights were also affected, even though the Delhi airport reported an average delay of five minutes for arrival flights and 11 minutes for departure flights, as per FlightRadar24.

While SpiceJet said all flights coming in and going to Amritsar and Guwahati are affected due to bad weather, IndiGo issued a travel advisory with special focus on the Delhi, Amritsar, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Guwahati routes.

Various airlines urged travellers to check flight schedules while planning their journey, warning that flights might be cancelled if the visibility remains poor.

As per the past 24-hour data of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi is expected to witness fog till January 8, with light rain likely on January 6. The Delhi-NCR woke up to a thick blanket of fog on Friday, with temperatures dropping to a minimum of 8 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the national capital’s air quality deteriorated further, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 318 in the “very poor” category, as the Central Pollution Control Board resumed data updates after a day-long pause. The maximum and minimum temperatures are forecasted to be 17 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Visibility conditions worsened significantly at 6 a.m., leading authorities to take action to ensure safety. Flights that lack the necessary equipment for low-visibility landings, especially those not adhering to CAT III standards, are expected to experience delays or cancellations.

The Safdarjung weather station considered the benchmark for Delhi’s climate, recorded a maximum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius earlier on Thursday, slightly up from 15 degrees Celsius the previous day but still three degrees below the normal mark.

According to the IMD, “cold day” conditions are declared when the maximum temperature is 4.5 degrees or more below normal, provided the minimum temperature is below 10 degrees. While Safdarjung didn’t meet the criteria, the Palam, Najafgarh, Pusa, and Narela weather stations reported “cold day” conditions.

Relief, however, appears to be on the horizon as the IMD predicts a slight increase in temperatures over the coming days due to the influence of a fresh western disturbance. The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to hover around 17 degrees on Friday and rise to 18 degrees Celsius by Saturday. “A marginal increase of about one degree in maximum temperatures is anticipated across most parts of the region,” an IMD official noted.