Dense fog engulfs Delhi: 40 flights delayed at Delhi IGI Airport, 36 trains delayed

People battled the thick fog that covered the northern portions of the country. At 8.30 am, visibility was less than 100 metres in various places, including Jammu, Patiala, and Karnal, while it was zero metres in Delhi's Palam on Tuesday. Several flights and trains got delayed due to the dense fog. 

The national capital, which has been grappling with some of the coldest days in its history over the last week, woke up to another cold and foggy day.

According to authorities, on Tuesday, there were up to 40 planes from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) were delayed due to heavy fog. However, the airport sources went on to say that up until 7 am, no flight delays had been reported.

The departure of around 50 domestic flights delayed due to inclement weather at Delhi airport; 18 arrival flights (domestic) also delayed.

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2023

Due to bad weather in the capital, numerous domestic planes that were waiting to take off were delayed, and 18 additional flights that were supposed to land at the Delhi airport were also delayed.

On Tuesday, the Northern Railway reported that 36 trains were delayed as a result of fog.

36 trains running late in the Northern Railway region due to fog. pic.twitter.com/qHyZuXkQZW

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2023

"I am travelling to Gorakhpur. However, my train is running late by 4-4.5 hours on account of the fog," said a passenger. 

"Less than 100 m visibility at 8.30 am in Jammu division`s Jammu, U`khand`s Pantnagar, Punjab`s Patiala, Amritsar and Ludhiana, Haryana`s Bhiwani and Karnal, Delhi`s Palam, Raj`s Ganganagar, UP`s Bareilly, Bahraich, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj & Bihar`s Gaya, Bhagalpur and Purnea," as per India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Safdarjung in Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6.4°C while Palam recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5°C up till 8:30 am, both in the midst of a severe cold wave that was permeating the whole north Indian region.

According to data from the India Meteorological Department, visibility in the Palam area was 50 metres, whereas it was 200 metres at Safdarjung (IMD). Another chilly and foggy day greeted the nation's capital, which has been experiencing some of the coldest days in its recent history.

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According to the Metrological department, the visibility in Palam was recorded at 0 metres at 4.30 am while the visibility at Safdarjung is currently at 200 metres. As was forecast, dense to very dense fog was observed over parts of Punjab, Northwest Rajasthan, Jammu division, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Tripura.

"Dense/Very Dense Fog layer (in white patch) extends from Punjab to Bihar across Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh at 0530 hours IST on 10.01.2023," tweeted the India Meteorological Department.

"Visibility (in meters) recorded at 0530 hours IST of 10.01.2023: Bhatinda and Agra - 0 each. Jammu division, Ganganagar, Chandigarh, Ambala, Patiala, Bareilly, Lucknow, Sultanpur, Gorakhpur and Bhagalpur - 25 each. Hissar, Delhi-Palam, Baharaich, Gaya, Purnea and Kailashahar - 50," informed the IMD further.

As the global AQI crossed the line into the "severe" category, reaching 418, Delhi too continued to struggle with the deteriorating air quality. The national capital's AAP government on Monday temporarily outlawed the use of four-wheelers powered by BS-III gasoline and BS-IV diesel engines till January 12.