Delhi remained engulfed in a thick blanket of smog on Monday morning, with the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) slipping into the ‘severe’ category at 402.
Air quality was recorded as severe at 22 monitoring stations, very poor at 14, and poor at one, while data from three stations was unavailable. Vivek Vihar in east Delhi reported the worst air quality with an AQI of 456, according to data from Central Pollution Control Board, reported by PTI.
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 401 and 500 falls in the severe category, posing serious health risks, especially to vulnerable groups.
The city’s air quality is expected to remain very poor over the next three days, with conditions likely to fluctuate between very poor and severe over the following six days, the Air Quality Early Warning System said.
Dense fog at isolated places during the morning hours also affected vehicular movement across parts of the capital.
According to India Meteorological Department, minimum temperatures are expected to stay near normal, while maximum temperatures will remain above normal. Delhi is likely to record maximum temperatures between 22°C and 24°C, and minimum temperatures between 7°C and 9°C. Light northwesterly winds, blowing at less than 15 kmph, are expected during the morning and afternoon, gradually weakening later in the day.
Meanwhile. dense fog severely disrupted air traffic in the national capital on Monday morning, with visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport plunging to as low as 50 metres, triggering widespread flight delays, cancellations and diversions.
At least 128 flights were cancelled, eight got diverted, and nearly 200 services were delayed.
An official said 64 departures and 64 arrivals were cancelled, while eight flights got diverted due to dense fog and low visibility conditions at the Delhi airport.
Delhi airport operator DIAL, in a post on X, said runway visibility is improving, but some flight departures and arrivals may be impacted.
Information on the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com showed that nearly 200 flights were delayed, with an average departure delay of around 24 minutes.
"Fog continues to persist across Delhi and several airports in northern India. Visibility remains reduced and, as a result, flight movements are presently slower than normal, with some delays being experienced," IndiGo said in a post on X.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) operates the national capital's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which handles around 1,300 flight movements daily.
The airport began operations under Category-III conditions, which permit aircraft to land in extremely low visibility.
Major carriers, including IndiGo and Air India, issued travel advisories urging passengers to check flight status before leaving for the airport and to factor in additional travel time.
In a detailed advisory, IndiGo said fluctuating visibility over Delhi and Hindon airports had led to schedule changes and slower operations. The airline said its ground teams were prioritising safety and compliance with visibility norms and assured passengers that rebooking and refund options were available for impacted flights.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)