Dense fog chokes Delhi NCR: Zero visibility, ‘Severe’ AQI, 100+ flights delayed

Dense fog returned to Delhi and nearby areas like Ghaziabad and Noida on Friday morning. Visibility dropped to zero in some locations, disrupting daily life. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) issued an advisory warning of possible flight disruptions.

Delhi’s air quality worsened further. At 6:05 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 409, falling into the ‘severe’ category, according to the Sameer app. Meanwhile, Delhi’s temperature stood at 9.6 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting it to dip to 6 degrees Celsius. Maximum temperature was expected to reach 20 degrees Celsius with “very dense fog.”

Flight operations faced delays at IGI Airport. At 4:25 am, authorities urged passengers to contact airlines for updates. By 5:52 am, departures had been impacted. However, flights compliant with CAT III standards continued operations. IndiGo also advised passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport.

Delhi and NCR cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram experienced blinding fog earlier this week, with visibility dropping to zero for nine hours—the longest stretch this season. On Thursday, Delhi saw a sunny afternoon, with the maximum temperature at 21.2 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees above normal. However, the city recorded a colder Thursday morning at 4.8 degrees Celsius, compared to 7.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Amid deteriorating air quality, authorities reinstated Stage 3 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Calm winds and foggy conditions pushed the AQI to 357 by 4 pm on Thursday, up from 297 the previous day. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed authorities to implement Stage 3 measures immediately to curb pollution.

GRAP Stage 3 includes a ban on non-essential construction. The annual report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) highlighted that Delhi’s PM10 levels dropped by 12% compared to 2017, from 241 to 211 μg/m³. Despite this, Delhi fell short of meeting its targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Only 31% of the 131 non-attainment cities identified in 2019 achieved the goal of reducing PM10 levels by 20-30% by 2024.

Fog and pollution continue to challenge life in Delhi-NCR. Travelers face disruptions, and residents endure hazardous air. Authorities urge caution and adherence to pollution-control measures to mitigate the impact.