NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for the next 24 hours, warning of dense to very dense fog across large parts of north India, even as air quality in the national capital and surrounding regions remained in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ category on Friday.According to the IMD, very dense fog is likely to prevail over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with Uttar Pradesh also expected to witness a very cold day. Dense to extremely dense fog has been forecast across Punjab, Uttarakhand and Bihar on December 19 and 20, and over Uttar Pradesh and Haryana during the early morning hours. The weather agency said fog conditions are likely to persist for the next two to three days, raising concerns over reduced visibility, travel delays and road safety.
Airport authorities said flight operations were impacted through the day, with 79 departures cancelled, including two international flights, and 73 arrivals cancelled, including two international services. Passengers have been advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before heading to the airport. In Delhi, hazardous air conditions continued, with thick smog blanketing several areas, including Anand Vihar. The Commission for Air Quality Management activated all measures under GRAP Stage IV across Delhi-NCR to curb rising pollution levels.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed the Air Quality Index at 442 in Ghazipur, 409 in ITO and 447 in Palam, placing these areas in the ‘severe’ category. The city’s overall AQI stood at 330 at 7.47 am, while earlier readings showed levels as high as 358 during the morning hours. At around 8 am, Delhi’s overall AQI was recorded at 387, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category.Authorities advised residents, particularly children, the elderly and people with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor exposure as pollution continued to pose serious health risks.Dense fog also disrupted aviation operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, with flights being operated under CAT III conditions, leading to multiple delays. Delhi International Airport said low visibility was affecting flight schedules.“Dense fog is impacting flight schedules, and operations are currently under CAT III conditions. Our on-ground teams are working in close coordination with all stakeholders to assist passengers and provide necessary support across all terminals. For real-time flight updates, please reach out to your respective airlines. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding,” the airport said in a statement.CAT III is a category of the Instrument Landing System that allows aircraft to land in extremely low visibility conditions and requires advanced equipment and specialised pilot training.IndiGo also issued a travel advisory, saying early-morning fog in Delhi and across parts of northern India was disrupting flight operations. “Early-morning fog in Delhi and across parts of northern India is reducing visibility and disrupting flight operations. We seek your understanding, as this is a seasonal occurrence, and flight movements are being managed accordingly to ensure safe and orderly operations. Customers travelling in the early hours may experience delays or revised timings. We recommend checking the latest flight status prior to leaving for the airport, goindigo.in/flight-status,” the airline said in a post on X.“Our teams are actively monitoring weather conditions and coordinating with air traffic authorities. Wherever possible, we are making operational adjustments to minimise inconvenience and ensure customer support remains available across all key touchpoints. We will keep you informed and get you on your way as soon as conditions permit,” the post added.On Thursday, 15 out of 40 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded ‘severe’ pollution levels. Anand Vihar reported the highest AQI at 441, falling under the ‘severe-plus’ category, while 24 stations logged ‘very poor’ air quality, according to CPCB’s SAMEER app.As per official classification, AQI levels between 401 and 500 are considered ‘severe’, while readings above 300 indicate ‘very poor’ air quality.Data from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management showed transport as the largest contributor to Delhi’s pollution at 18.3 per cent, followed by industries at 9.2 per cent. Residential sources contributed 4.5 per cent, construction activities 2.5 per cent, waste burning 1.6 per cent, road dust 1.3 per cent, other sectors 1.2 per cent and power generation around 1.2 per cent.Pollution from neighbouring NCR districts also added to Delhi’s air quality woes, with Jhajjar contributing 12.3 per cent, Sonipat 8.8 per cent, Rohtak 4.8 per cent, Jind 3.1 per cent, Bhiwani 1.4 per cent and Gurugram 1.1 per cent.Meanwhile, the IMD urged people to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel during foggy conditions and stay updated with local advisories over the next few days.
