NEW DELHI: Dense fog enveloped the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), causing zero visibility on highways and roads, delaying over 150 flights and roughly 26 trains. The dense fog not only hampered visibility but also worsened air quality. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for moderate to very dense fog across various regions of North India, including Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
According to aviation website FlightRadar24, over 100 flights have been delayed in Delhi on Friday morning. Dense fog has impacted flight departures, said an advisory released this morning by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).
“Due to dense fog, there has been an impact on flight departures. However, flights that are CAT III compliant are able to land and depart from Delhi Airport. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information,” the advisory read.
Visuals from the New Delhi Railway Station showed very low visibility, likely affecting train operations due to the thick layer of fog in the capital.
Areas such as ITO, Rajokri, and Barapullah flyover in Delhi recorded zero visibility this morning. So far, no reports of traffic disruptions due to the fog have been recorded.
On the Delhi-Lucknow highway near Bahadurgarh station, a massive vehicle collision occurred due to near-zero visibility. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported, but the incident highlights the dangers of navigating the city’s roads in such conditions.
Around 6 am, the air quality index (AQI) in the capital surged to 408, shifting from the earlier ‘very poor’ level to the ‘severe’ category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board website.
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“To manage the rising AQI in the National Capital Region (NCR), authorities should consider measures such as banning below BS-VI diesel vehicles and imposing a complete halt on construction activities till February 2025,” stated Mr. Prabhakar Kumar, Urban & Infra Head – REPL (Rudrabhishek Enterprises Ltd.).
He further emphasized, “Neighboring states must enforce strict regulations to curb farm fires, which significantly contribute to immediate air pollution. Transporting goods through the railway network or adopting electric freight vehicles could also help reduce emissions in the region. Additionally, creating artificial rain could serve as an emergency response to improve air quality.”
The Commission for Air Quality Management, tasked with strategizing air pollution mitigation in Delhi-NCR, instructed regional authorities to promptly enforce the stage 3 restrictions to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. CAQM categorizes an AQI between zero and 50 as ‘good’, 51 and 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 as ‘poor’, 301 and 400 as ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 as ‘severe’.
IMD’s seven-day forecast indicates that fog will persist in the national capital over the weekend. However, visibility may improve on Saturday due to light rains in Delhi. Additionally, the minimum temperature in the city is expected to soon drop to 5 degrees Celsius.