Delhi Under Blanket Of Dense Fog, Flight, Train Services Disrupted

New Delhi: Dense fog enveloped Delhi, reducing visibility to zero and disrupting flight and train operations on Friday as the weather department predicted rain over the weekend.

Over 100 flights were delayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, and 26 trains were late, according to officials. The India Meteorological Department said zero visibility was recorded in Palam at 4.30 am. At 5.30 am, visibility at Safdarjung was 50 meters, it said.

The national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 17.6 degree Celsius, a notch below normal, with a minimum temperature of 6 degree Celsius , 0.9 notches below normal.

The weather department has predicted a cloudy sky with light rain and thunderstorms over the weekend. Dense fog is also likely in some areas in the morning.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle around 15 and 8 degree celsius , respectively.

The air quality in the city is nearing the “severe” category, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 4 pm was 397 in the “very poor” category on Friday, according to the CPCB.

Out of 29 monitoring stations, 18 stations, including Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Dwarka and Jahangirpuri, recorded AQI readings in the “severe” category, with readings above 400.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good,” 51-100 “satisfactory,” 101-200 “moderate,” 201-300 “poor,” 301-400 “very poor,” and 401-500 “severe.” Abhishek Kar, Senior Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), said, “The city recorded a minimum temperature of 6 degree celsius in the early hours of January 10.” “Dense fog reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the ground, thereby lowering the mixing layer height and leading to the accumulation of pollutants near the ground,” he said

“CAQM has imposed GRAP Stage 3 in Delhi and adjoining areas. Authorities should strictly enforce CAQM’s orders, including banning older vehicles from plying, intensifying public transport, introducing differential pricing to promote off-peak travel, and banning dust-generating construction activities, to improve air quality,” Kar said.