Delhi and the National Capital Region woke up to near-zero visibility on Monday as a dense blanket of fog combined with severe air pollution, prompting alarm among residents and disrupting daily life. The thick haze, which began settling over the region on Sunday evening, engulfed parts of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram, leaving roads, vehicles and even nearby buildings barely visible.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Monday and a yellow alert for Tuesday, warning of dense to very dense fog under the influence of an ongoing western disturbance that set in on December 27. At the same time, air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 400 in Delhi and Noida, touching 398 in Ghaziabad and 392 in Gurugram.
Commuters and residents took to social media to share visuals and reactions, describing what many called the foggiest day of the season. Several users said visibility was down to just a few metres, making even nearby metro stations invisible. One resident noted that the fog had an “acrid and salty” smell, pointing to the heavy pollution mixed with moisture in the air.
The fog–smog cocktail severely affected transport services. According to flight tracking data, nearly 130 flights were cancelled and more than 200 flights to and from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed on Monday morning. Train services were also impacted, with delays reported across multiple routes.
An IMD official said visibility at Palam airport dropped to 50 metres between 2.30 am and 8 am, while at Safdarjung it remained as low as 5 metres until 8.30 am, before improving slightly.
Authorities warned that disruptions could continue through the day due to cascading delays, urging commuters to plan travel carefully as foggy conditions persist across the region.