Flights Delayed and Trains Running Late as 'Severe' Smog Reduces Visibility in Delhi

As air quality in Delhi plunged into the "severe" category and a dense layer of smog enveloped the national capital and its surrounding areas on Thursday, flight and train services to and from Delhi were significantly impacted. Several North Indian cities, including Amritsar, Varanasi, and Jalandhar, are also grappling with poor weather conditions.

The air quality in Delhi reached its worst on Thursday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in multiple areas surpassing the 400 mark, reaching a staggering 432. This followed a similar scenario on Wednesday, when the AQI spiked to 429, choking the national capital. Poor air quality and cold weather have created hazardous visibility conditions, disrupting all modes of travel.

In an early morning advisory, IndiGo Airlines warned that winter fog could affect flights to and from Amritsar, Varanasi, and Delhi. They urged passengers to monitor flight statuses online and allowed for additional travel time, as road traffic was expected to move slowly due to low visibility.

On Wednesday morning, low visibility forced the diversion of ten flights at Delhi Airport, with nine flights redirected to Jaipur and one to Lucknow after 7 a.m. Operations were similarly affected on Thursday morning, as several trains approaching the New Delhi railway station were delayed by at least one hour. Trains such as the CSMT ASR Express (11057), INDB NDLS EXP (12415), and Malwa SF Express (12919) were among those running late by more than an hour.

At the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the country’s busiest, low visibility procedures were enacted to manage flight operations. The airport operator, DIAL, confirmed that despite the conditions, all flight operations remained normal as of 7 a.m. on Thursday. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines for updated flight information.