Dense fog shrouds Delhi-NCR; flight disruptions likely amid orange alert

• Dense fog disrupts Delhi NCR travel, impacting flights, trains, and road traffic
• IMD issues yellow alert; fog and light rain may persist for next few days
• Delhi's air quality 'severe', slight AQI improvement expected post-Jan 1

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New Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR), including Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram, were covered in thick fog on Wednesday morning, leading to poor visibility and fresh travel disruptions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the day, warning that dense fog conditions could continue and affect air, road and rail movement across Delhi and several parts of north India.

Visibility drops across NCR

Early morning visibility fell sharply as a dense layer of fog settled over the region. Commuters reported slow traffic on major roads, while train services were also impacted at several stations due to low visibility.

The IMD said foggy conditions are likely to persist over the next couple of days, along with chances of light rain, which may further affect visibility during early morning and late night hours.

Flights hit at Delhi airport

Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport remained under strain due to the fog. In an advisory issued around 6 am, Delhi Airport said, “Due to prevailing dense fog conditions, flight operations are currently being conducted under CAT III protocols, which may result in delays or cancellations.”

Airlines such as IndiGo also released advisory on Wednesday morning, stating, “Foggy conditions are present across Delhi and several airports in northern India this morning. If reduced visibility conditions persist, flight departures and arrivals may be impacted as the day progresses.”

On Tuesday, dense fog had already caused major disruptions, with 118 flights cancelled and 16 diverted. Several passengers faced long delays as airlines struggled to manage schedules amid poor weather.

Air quality remains a concern

Alongside fog, air pollution continues to trouble the capital. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to remain in the ‘severe’ category on December 31 and January 1, before improving slightly to ‘very poor’ on January 2.

On Tuesday, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 388, slightly better than Monday’s 401, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Officials said weak wind speeds of less than 10 kmph and a poor ventilation index have prevented pollutants from dispersing. Among NCR districts, Jhajjar contributed the most to pollution levels, followed by Rohtak, Bhiwani, Gurugram and Sonipat.