Dense fog blankets North India, flight and train services hit; speed limits enforced
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Large parts of North India, including Delhi and the NCR, were covered in dense fog on Friday morning, sharply reducing visibility and disrupting air, rail, and road transport. Poor visibility caused major inconvenience to passengers as flight delays, train disruptions, and slower road traffic were reported across the region.
Delhi Airport issued an advisory stating that CAT III operations are currently in place, which may lead to delays and disruptions in flight schedules. Airlines such as IndiGo and Air India also warned passengers that weather conditions could affect flight operations.
Several trains are running late due to dense fog, while some services have been cancelled. In many areas of Delhi-NCR, visibility dropped below 100 metres. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the day and warned of dense to very dense fog during morning hours. Passengers have been advised to check the status of their flights and trains before heading to airports or railway stations.
Foggy conditions were reported from other parts of North India as well. In Uttar Pradesh, an alert has been issued for the next two days. To prevent road accidents, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the implementation of speed limits across the state. Vehicles exceeding the prescribed speed will face penalties. These restrictions will remain in force until February 15, 2026.
Under the speed limit rules, private vehicles such as cars are allowed a maximum speed of 80 kmph from 8 am to 8 pm and 60 kmph from 8 pm to 8 am. For buses and tempo travellers, the limits are 60 kmph during the day and 50 kmph at night. Goods vehicles are restricted to 50 kmph in daytime and 40 kmph at night.
According to the IMD, there may be a brief relief from fog on Saturday. However, dense fog is likely to return to the national capital on Sunday (December 21) and Monday (December 22). The weather department has also said that there will be no significant change in minimum temperatures across northwest India over the next 24 hours. After that, temperatures may gradually rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the following three days.