Cold wave grips North India: Delhi-NCR hit by double blow of fog and pollution, over 100 trains delayed; AQI crosses 400

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Dense fog covered Delhi-NCR on Monday morning, bringing daily life to a near standstill. Visibility dropped to almost zero during early hours, severely affecting road, rail, and air traffic. Along with the intense cold, air quality also deteriorated sharply, with Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 403, which falls in the “severe” category.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for very dense fog in Delhi. According to the department, the maximum temperature is expected to remain around 22 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may hover near 7 degrees Celsius. Similar orange alerts have also been issued for several parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Dense fog had the maximum impact on air traffic. Indira Gandhi International Airport issued an advisory warning passengers about delays and possible cancellations. An Air India Express flight that departed from Goa’s Mopa airport at 11:55 pm on Sunday and was scheduled to land in Delhi at 2:35 am on Monday was diverted to Ahmedabad due to poor visibility. The situation worsened as Jaipur airport was already overcrowded with diverted flights.

IndiGo Airlines also released a travel advisory, stating that low and fluctuating visibility is affecting flight operations and passengers may face delays. Rail services were also hit, with nearly 100 trains arriving late or running behind schedule in and around Delhi.

Road traffic conditions remained worrying as well. Noida has been under the grip of dense fog since late Sunday evening. Visibility remained extremely low on the Noida–Greater Noida Expressway and Yamuna Expressway, forcing vehicles to move at a slow pace.

Considering the severe cold and fog, the Noida district administration announced precautionary measures and declared holidays in all schools from December 29 to January 1.

Meanwhile, air pollution levels added to the concern. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average AQI was recorded at 403. Anand Vihar reported the worst air quality with an AQI of 459. Other areas recorded high pollution levels as well, including IGI Airport area at 317, IIT Delhi at 362, ITO at 400, Lodhi Road at 359, and Chandni Chowk at 423.