Delhi: 30 flights delayed, 5 diverted amid fog, low visibility
At least 30 flights, including international ones, were delayed and five were diverted in Delhi on Tuesday as the national capital remained enveloped in thick fog for the third day. The Indira Gandhi International(IGI) Airport officials issued a statement, saying it was experiencing arrival and departure delays amid low visibility conditions. Notably, Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have been blanketed in dense fog for the last few days owing to an acute dip in mercury and air pollution.
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The winter chill has gripped North India, prompting people to gather around bonfires in states like Punjab, Haryana, and the Delhi-NCR region. In the wee hours of Tuesday, very dense fog was observed in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted that the foggy conditions in the national capital will likely persist until Thursday (December 28). Moreover, the IMD released satellite images showing layers of fog engulfing the northern region.
IGI Airport issues advisory for passengers
In an advisory, the Delhi airport informed passengers that while landings and take-offs are still ongoing, flights that are not CAT III compliant could be impacted. CAT III is a type of instrument landing system (ILS) that enables an aircraft to land in low visibility conditions. Airport authorities further requested all passengers to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. "Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," they added.
Watch: Delhi blanketed in thick fog
Delhi-NCR continues to battle air pollution
Meanwhile, Delhi-NCR continued to experience very poor air quality. On Tuesday, the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital was reported at 398, while it was 324 in neighboring Noida, 363 in Ghaziabad, 238 in Gurugram and 358 in Faridabad. Smoke, combined with fog, has resulted in smog that has severely affected commutes across the region. Notably, just a day ago, at least eight flights were diverted from the Delhi airport: seven to Jaipur and one to Ahmedabad.
