Dense fog paralyses life across North India; flight and rail operations severely affected
Dense fog update: A dense fog blanketed several parts of North India, causing widespread disruption in air, rail, and road traffic on Saturday. Multiple states, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, experienced reduced visibility due to the severe weather conditions, which were accompanied by a continuing cold wave in the region.
Flight operations severely affected
Flight schedules were significantly impacted, with over 200 flights delayed and around 30 cancellations reported at the Delhi airport. Runway visibility at the airport dropped to zero during the morning hours, temporarily halting flight operations. The airport authorities urged passengers to stay updated through their respective airlines.
“Flight operations have been affected due to dense fog at the airport. Passengers are advised to contact their airline for the latest information,” said an airport official.
Several airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, issued advisories, cautioning passengers about potential delays and cancellations. IndiGo noted in its statement that various parts of North India are experiencing fluctuating fog conditions, which could continue to affect flight schedules in the coming days.
Meanwhile, at Kolkata Airport, flight operations were also disrupted, with approximately 25 services affected, according to the flight tracking platform Flightradar. Similar disruptions were reported at other airports, including Chandigarh, Amritsar, and Jaipur.
#WATCH | Visibility reduced to zero in parts of the national capital as a blanket of dense fog covers Delhi.
Visuals from near the IGI airport pic.twitter.com/rpQmBlMHRJ — ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025
Train schedules and road traffic hit
The thick fog also wreaked havoc on train schedules, leading to significant delays in services across the region. Road traffic was equally disrupted, with vehicles moving at reduced speeds in cities such as Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Karnal, Ghaziabad, and Amritsar. Motorists faced considerable difficulties navigating through near-zero visibility conditions.
IMD issues orange alert
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Delhi on Saturday, forecasting “very dense fog” in the national capital. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 a.m., slightly higher than the 9.6 degrees Celsius recorded the previous day.
The IMD also noted that similar foggy conditions are likely to persist over the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the coming days, with satellite imagery showing a widespread blanket of fog over the region.
Widespread impact across states
States such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal also reported dense fog, leading to disruptions in daily life. On Friday, over 400 flights across North India faced delays due to the prevailing weather conditions.
- With inputs from agencies
