On 5th January, Sunday, Dense fog has enveloped Delhi-NCR. This thick fog has reduced visibility and affected flight and train operations as well. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has recorded over 155 delays and a total of eight cancellations. The delays were reported for planes that were not equipped with advanced CAT III navigation systems.
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has reassured travellers that landings and take-offs are ongoing, but cautioned that non-CAT III-compliant flights might face delays. DIAL advised all the passengers to stay in contact with their airlines for real-time updates on flight schedules.
Apart from this, at New Delhi railway station, several trains reported delays due to the dense fog. Due to near-zero visibility, more than 50 trains have been delayed across the national capital. Meanwhile, traffic on the road also moved slowly as dense fog reduced the visibility. The Railways have also urged the passengers to travel only after checking the updated status of their train.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued an alert for dense fog during the morning hours and warned about the reduced visibility all across the city. The national capital continued to face biting cold conditions with the minimum temperature dropping to 9 degrees Celsius.
For Sunday, the IMD has forecast a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy skies are also expected during the afternoon and evening.
Smog and fog are expected to linger into the evening and night. This will affect the air quality and visibility. On Saturday, visibility had reduced to zero in Delhi for an extended nine-hour period and marked the longest stretch of such dense fog this winter season.