Delhi WEATHER update: Over 250 flights, trains impacted; IMD issues orange alert | Check details

Dense fog in Delhi caused significant delays and cancellations for trains and flights. Reduced visibility prompted an orange alert from IMD, while worsening air quality led to the reimplementation of GRAP Stage 3.

The train and flight operations were hit in Delhi as dense fog blanketed the national capital in the wee hours of Saturday, reducing visibility to zero in several areas, said officials. In the nation's capital, more than fifty trains experienced delays at key railway intersections, such as Hazrat Nizamuddin Station, Anand Vihar Terminus, and New Delhi Railway Station. Due to the current weather, a number of trains, including the Howrah-New Delhi Duronto Express, Mahabodhi Express, Lucknow Mail, and Kathgodam Express, had severe delays as they arrived in the nation's capital.

Delhi's heavy fog on Saturday morning also affected flight operations. According to authorities, the current conditions caused more than 150 flights to be delayed and about 30 to be canceled. The airport's aviation operations have been impacted by the thick fog. For the most recent flight information, travelers are asked to get in touch with the relevant airline, according to airport officials. According to cautions sent to passengers by airlines like IndiGo and Air India, "poor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of Northern India."

Orange alert issued

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Delhi on Saturday, cautioning residents about “very dense fog" conditions in the city. The temperature in Delhi dropped to 10.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am on Saturday, compared to 9.6 degrees Celsius recorded on Friday.

GRAP 3 imposed, Air quality declines

The Delhi-NCR area saw a significant decline in air quality and an increase in pollution levels as a result of unfavorable weather conditions on Friday, prompting the reinstatement of anti-pollution measures under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 371 at 4 p.m., indicating an upward trend in air pollution levels.