New Delhi [India]: Dense fog and adverse weather conditions continued to disrupt flight and train operations in the National Capital on Friday, causing significant delays for passengers.
Delhi airport authorities issued an advisory warning that flights not equipped with CAT III technology might face disruptions. In a post on social media platform X, Delhi Airport stated, “While landings and takeoffs continue at Delhi airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected.”
Update issued at 08:28 hours.
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 10, 2025
Kind attention to all flyers!#DelhiAirport #FogUpdate pic.twitter.com/0neh0quF1H
Passengers were urged to stay in touch with airlines for updates on their flights. The advisory also expressed regret for any inconvenience caused. However, no flight cancellations or diversions had been reported as of the latest updates.
Rail services were similarly impacted, with 26 trains in the Northern Railway region delayed due to poor visibility and operational challenges. The delays ranged from over an hour to more than eight hours.
Among the most affected trains were the Bihar Sampark Kranti Express (12565), delayed by 1 hour and 65 minutes, and the Farakka Express (15743), delayed by 1 hour and 37 minutes. The Mahabodhi Express (12397) experienced a delay of 2 hours and 28 minutes, while the Gorakh Dham Express (12555) was running 1 hour and 73 minutes behind schedule. Other delayed trains included the Prayagraj Express (12417) by 185 minutes, Shramjeevi Express (12391) by 111 minutes, and the Padmavat Express (14207) by 69 minutes.
Over the past several days, rail operations have been severely impacted by persistent dense fog in the region.
Weather conditions also contributed to a drop in visibility and temperatures. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a minimum temperature of 9.6°C at 5:30 AM on Friday. Later in the morning, Safdarjung reported a minimum temperature of 6.0°C, while Palam recorded 7.6°C.
Meanwhile, air quality in Delhi deteriorated further, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 451 in the ‘severe’ category by 9:30 AM, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marked a sharp increase from an AQI of 349 recorded at the same time the previous day.
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 401 and 500 is categorized as ‘severe,’ indicating serious health risks for residents. The frigid conditions also led to many homeless individuals seeking refuge in night shelters.