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Delhi’s air quality edges toward ‘severe’ as dense fog cancels 27 flights and delays 500 more. With visibility dropping to 100 meters and smog expected to linger, how long will the capital’s skies remain hazardous for travel and health?
Delhi air on verge of ‘severe’ again
New Delhi: The air quality in national capital continued to deteriorate on Thursday, plunging from “very poor” to an AQI of 373 by the afternoon and reaching 397 by 9 pm, inching closer to the “severe” category. The thick smog and dense fog disrupted air and rail transport, leading to the cancellation of at least 27 flights and delays for over 500 others.
Flight operations were heavily impacted due to low visibility. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requires a minimum of 125 meters for take-offs and 50 meters for landings.
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Data from Flightradar24 showed significant delays across northern India, with visibility dipping to zero at airports in Chandigarh, Lucknow, Hindon, Agra, Kanpur, and Gorakhpur. Delhi airport authorities reported operating under CAT-3 conditions and urged passengers to expect disruptions.
Passenger complaints poured in as travel plans were affected. Lipika Dey, whose flight to Chandigarh was cancelled, said, “No apologies, no reasons just a message cancelled! Lost money due to the cancellation and cab arrangements.” Air India attributed cancellations to the “consequential impact of poor visibility caused by dense fog in Delhi.”
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow fog alert for Friday, warning that conditions could worsen. Dense fog formed due to high moisture, low wind speeds, and lingering pollution. Visibility fell to 100 meters in the city, affecting both flights and railway operations, with Northern Railways reporting delays of 30 minutes to 7 hours for at least 25 trains.
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IMD classifies fog into categories: shallow (500–1000 meters), moderate (200–500 meters), dense (50–200 meters), and very dense (below 50 meters). This week, Delhi has already experienced its first very dense fog day, with zero visibility at Safdarjung and 50 meters at Palam, leading to over 800 flight delays and multiple cancellations.
The Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) predicts Delhi’s AQI will remain in the “very poor” category from December 19 to 29, with “severe” conditions likely on December 21. A weak western disturbance over northern plains is contributing to slow winds and high moisture, which, combined with persistent pollution, is expected to maintain dense smog through the weekend.
Residents are advised to minimize outdoor activity, use masks, and monitor weather and flight updates, as Delhi braces for continued disruption from worsening air quality and persistent fog.
