Smog Disrupts Life in Delhi: Flights and Trains Delayed

Delhi faces significant travel disruptions as flights and trains are severely delayed due to hazardous air quality and dense fog impacting visibility.

Dense fog and alarming smog levels have plunged Delhi into a transport crisis, with many flights and trains unable to operate effectively. On Friday morning, visibility dropped to zero in some regions, causing widespread delays and operational challenges across all modes of travel.

Reports indicate that over 150 flights have experienced delays, while numerous trains are also running late as poor weather conditions persist. This incident underscores a persistent issue that Northern India grapples with every winter, where the combination of colder temperatures and stagnant air leads to toxic pollution levels lingering near ground level.

The air quality index in the capital has reached alarming figures, surpassing 400 in various areas according to Safar, India's state-run air quality monitoring system. This reading is over 25 times higher than the limits deemed safe by the World Health Organization (WHO), prompting officials to reinstate pollution control strategies. These measures include a halt to construction and demolition, as well as a shift to virtual classrooms for students to mitigate health risks.

Visual documentation from Delhi shows a thick layer of smog blanketing roads and obscuring landscapes, with an advisory from Delhi airport warning travelers of potential flight disruptions due to the severe low visibility. The advisory highlights that while landings and take-offs continue, non-CAT III compliant flights (those unable to operate under poor visual conditions) may experience interruptions.

Flight tracking data reveals that departures are delayed by over half an hour while arrivals face nearly 20-minute delays. Passengers have taken to social media platforms to voice their frustrations, noting a lack of information regarding flight statuses. “No display of boarding gate and it seems no one knows the exact status,” lamented one frustrated traveler on X (formerly Twitter).

Additionally, the Indian Railways has confirmed that 26 trains heading into Delhi are significantly delayed, attributing this to the adverse weather. However, a slight reprieve is on the horizon as the weather department forecasts light rain over the weekend, which could improve visibility and alleviate some of the travel chaos witnessed in the capital.