Travel woes and AQI worsen in Delhi NCR amid dense fog; Schools to reopen despite cold

In the midst of a thick blanket of fog shrouding Delhi, the capital’s airport has issued a cautionary advisory, urging passengers to reach out to airlines before embarking on their journeys. A statement from the airport authority on ‘X’ highlighted the potential impact of dense fog on flight operations: “Due to dense fog, flight operations at Delhi Airport may be affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.” Expressing regret, the advisory added, “Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”

This advisory comes following significant disruptions to IndiGo flight operations on Sunday, attributable to low visibility and dense fog conditions across North India. IndiGo Airlines, in an official communique, detailed the impact: “Due to the low visibility and dense fog conditions across North India, IndiGo flight operations were impacted on January 14, 2024. This had a cascading effect on our operations throughout the day. Our staff kept passengers informed of all delays and cancellations across airports, making every possible effort to assist passengers. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused.”

The challenging weather conditions has also impacted rail travel, with the Indian Railways reporting delays of up to six hours for 22 Delhi-bound trains on Sunday. This trend is expected to continue on Monday, with approximately 22 trains to Delhi from various parts of the country running late due to dense fog conditions.

A total of five flights were diverted at the Delhi airport early morning on Monday due to bad weather, according to an official. Four flights were diverted to Jaipur and one flight to Ahmedabad between 1 am and 5 am, the official said. On Sunday, 10 flights were diverted and some were cancelled as the airport operations were significantly impacted due to low visibility conditions and dense fog.

Adding to the weather challenges, Monday dawned in the national capital with a dense fog, driving the minimum temperature to 4 degrees Celsius in the RK Puram area. Visuals captured the city under a veil of thick fog, leading to low visibility conditions.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi plummeted into the ‘severe’ category on Sunday, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Consequently, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reintroduced restrictions under Stage III of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the National Capital Region (NCR). These restrictions, initially lifted on January 1, were reinstated due to deteriorating air quality conditions.

In response, the Delhi transport department promptly imposed a ban on construction activities and the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers with immediate effect. The ban remains in force until further notice, leading to heightened vehicle inspections along the Ghazipur and Apsara borders in the national capital.

The Indian Meteorological Department issued a ‘cold alert’ for Monday and Tuesday in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. Seeking refuge from the freezing conditions, numerous individuals turned to government-run shelter homes, offering blankets, beds, hot water, and food to those in need.

In a separate development, the Delhi Education Department ordered the reopening of schools in physical learning mode for all classes, including nursery, KG, and primary classes, starting today. However, considering the chilling weather, schools have been directed not to conduct classes before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

“However, taking precaution in view of the prevailing foggy conditions, no school (including double shift schools) will start before 9 a.m. and have classes beyond 5 pm until further directions,” emphasized the order.

The city had witnessed the closure of schools for nursery to class 5 last week, from January 8 to 12, owing to severe fog conditions. On Monday, Delhi continued to grapple with cold conditions, registering a minimum temperature of 3.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest this winter season. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for a cold wave, extending until tomorrow, with the expectation of moderate fog conditions prevailing in Delhi until January 20.

For the past three days, the minimum temperature has hovered around 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, recording 3.5 degrees Celsius on January 14, 3.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, and 3.9 degrees Celsius on Friday. According to IMD data, Delhi’s minimum temperature today was four notches below the season’s average, with the maximum temperature reaching 20.6 degrees Celsius.