Residents of Delhi and parts of northern India were subjected to dense fog and severe cold, causing widespread disruptions to flights and rail operations. North India has been reeling under cold conditions, which have particularly affected travelers. A thick blanket of fog enveloped Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, resulting in 30 flight delays and 17 cancellations. Passengers were forced to wait for hours at airports and railway stations, with delays impacting around 30 trains including prominent services like Vande Bharat and Rajdhani Express.
Visibility troubles due to fog were reported across northern and north-eastern Indian states. The Indian Meteorological Department indicated low visibility in several airports, listing numerous cities with visibilities ranging from 0 to 100 meters. Despite the travel chaos, passengers at New Delhi Railway Station experienced severe delays. The temperature hit a season’s low of 3.3°C on Monday, with the capital registering a maximum of 19.7°C. An orange alert indicated that the cold waves and dense fog will likely continue in the coming days. IMD scientist Kuldeep Srivastava predicted no significant change in the weather over the next 48 hours, highlighting an ongoing cold wave and fog conditions that could affect flights, trains, and road travel.
To compound the issues, Delhi’s air quality reached a severe level, with an AQI of 401 in the Anand Vihar area, prompting authorities to invoke Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan to curb pollution levels. Meanwhile, the aviation sector was thrown into chaos with over a 100 flights experiencing delays at Delhi airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued new guidelines to handle such exceptional circumstances, allowing airlines to cancel flights delayed beyond three hours and requiring the provision of real-time delay information to passengers. The SOPs aim to improve coordination and communication during such disruptions, as seen when passengers on an IndiGo flight demonstrated stress and one attacked a pilot. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia underscored that passenger safety remains a top priority amid challenges in aviation due to dense fog. These disruptions are a somber reminder of the challenges faced during severe weather conditions and the importance of effective communication and passenger care.